11th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2021 - Parables, Choices, Mustard Seeds

 
One of the hallmarks of the Lord’s preaching and teaching is his use of parables. Through parables, the Lord drew upon images, ideas, and customs from the everyday life of 1st century Israel—like farming and seeds. Utilizing parables allowed the Lord to connect with his listeners, to challenge their preconceptions, and lead them to truth. The Lord’s parables are simple enough for children to understand them, yet profound enough to challenge the greatest of saints up and down the centuries.

And I say the parables are challenging because they demand, in a sense, some personal engagement, a decision, usually to change our thoughts or behaviors. 

In the parable of the good Samaritan, for example, the listener has a choice. Who do I want to be in this story? Who does God want me to be? The self-occupied Levitical priest who passes by on the other side of the road when he glimpses a man in need? Or the good Samaritan who comes to the aid of the stranger? Hearing this parable, you have a choice.

In the parable where Jesus likens the kingdom of God to the pearl of great price, the listener, again has a choice. Will I pursue the kingdom of God, the values of God as the most important thing in my life, or not? Will I allow God to order my priorities, or not?

In one of my favorite parables where Jesus talks about the different types of soil, where the seed of the Gospel is spread over those different types of soil, right?, the listener has a choice. Will I make my mind and heart receptive to the truth of God or not? Will I clear away the thorns of my earthly attractions and distractions or not?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the “parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or good earth for the word [of God]? What use has he made of the talents he has received?” 

The parables cause us to look at our life, and to make some decisions, some commitments. Will I allow Jesus’ teaching to change me, or not?

If this is the purpose of the parables, what are the decisions and commitments and personal engagement demanded by the parables in the Gospel passage for this 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time

First, we hear that the kingdom of God is like a seed that seems to grow on its own, the farmer doesn’t know how it grows. And that’s true about the grace of God in our souls. God’s life in our souls, in a sense, isn’t a human achievement, but a divine work. God brings about our growth in holiness, which at times is imperceptible, like a seed growing in the depths of the earth.

On the other hand, the farmer can’t very well neglect the seed, he has to do his part. He has to water it and fertilize it. So, too, we must cooperate with that grace, by doing our part: avoiding sin, engaging in daily prayer, reception of the sacraments, engagement in good works. The first choice demanded by the parables is this: will I do the things that cause the seed to grow, or not?

And yet that part of the parable, where the seed grows on its own, myseriously, must not be discounted as well. The second choice: will we allow God to be God. Will we trust God, when we don’t really see the growth we’re expecting. Will we be patient with God?

In a sense, this parable serves as encouragement for those who think their efforts for the kingdom are fruitless. When we are tempted to think that our prayers aren’t doing any good, we need to trust, that prayer is Good. Your prayers may have helped saved the lives or saved the souls of people you’ll never meet. Don’t worry. Prayer is good. Don’t give up. 

Again the challenge, will I trust God our not. Will I persevere in prayer, and good works, and avoiding sin? Will I trust that All those rosaries. All that time spent on your knees in front of the Blessed Sacrament. All those Masses. All that effort trying to set good example for young people. Will I trust that God is bringing about growth in his kingdom. The simple challenge is: will you give up, or will you trust God?

The second parable in today’s passage is connected to this idea of trust. The kingdom of God is like this mustard seed. The seed begins the smallest of seeds, but once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants. Will I trust that in God’s hands, my small meager effort, can have a real impact in the world.

A mustard seed. This is exactly how the Church started out. A small group of uneducated Galilean fishermen. A traveling group of missionaries like Paul and Timothy. But this is how the Church has grown over the centuries. She started off small, even imperceptible in many places. Now, she has grown and reached nearly every corner of the globe.  

Pope Benedict warned Catholics to resist what he calls “the temptation of impatience”, that is the temptation to insist on “immediately finding great success” in “large numbers”.  “For the Kingdom of God and for evangelization,” he said, “the parable of the grain of mustard seed is always valid.”  This new modern phase of the Church’s evangelization mission to the secular world will not be “immediately attracting the large masses that have distanced themselves from the Church”. The right pastor, the right music ministry, the right marketing campaign, isn’t going to fill these pews.

It’s going to start small before it blossoms again. Small things with great love. Folks, to be honest, that’s why I’m open to trying new things here, like the latin mass. Because more is accomplished with a little risk and trusting in God’s grace, than doing nothing at all.

That’s why it’s so good to see parish groups like Legion of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul, the Garden Club, the Bible Study, doing something. As you might know our Legion of Mary has begun an apostolate of going out to the cemeteries to pray with people who have lost someone. It’s something. This week the Legion is also going to start setting up a table on the sidewalk on Thursday afternoons to pass out Catholic literature and rosaries and just talk with people who may have questions about the Catholic faith. Again, it’s something. It’s a mustard seed. 

So, too with our St. Vincent de Paul. They go out two by two to meet those who are asking our parish for help. Wonderful. 

“Dare, once again” says Pope Benedict, “with the humility of the mustard seed, to leave up to God the when and how it will grow.”

Folks, I am with you, I  want nothing more than to see this parish flourish. And now that COVID is lifting and we are more confident in being out in the world again, we need we need some mustard seeds. We have work to do in planting mustard seeds for the Lord. As pastor, please, if you have a mustard seed idea for the good of our parish and mission, come to me. Let's plant it. 

For in the end, a parish isn't some pious social club. It’s a farm. And farms require hard work and blisters and trust that the rains will fall and the seeds will grow…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.