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| “Mustard Tree in the Mist” Photographer and Date are UNKNOWN |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Romans 8:18-25
Commentary on Rom 8:18-25
“The glory that believers are destined to share with Christ far exceeds the sufferings of the present life. Paul considers the destiny of the created world to be linked with the future that belongs to the believers. As it shares in the penalty of corruption brought about by sin, so also will it share in the benefits of redemption and future glory that comprise the ultimate liberation of God's people (Romans 8:19-22).
"After patient endurance in steadfast expectation, the full harvest of the Spirit's presence will be realized. On earth believers enjoy the first-fruits, i.e., the Spirit, as a guarantee of the total liberation of their bodies from the influence of the rebellious old self (Romans 8:23).”[4]
CCC: Rom 8:18-23 280; Rom 8:18 1721; Rom 8:19-23 1046; Rom 8:20 400; Rom 8:21 1741; Rom 8:22 2630; Rom 8:23-24 2630; Rom 8:23 735
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3a) The Lord has done marvels for us.
Commentary on Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
Psalm 126 is a lament. In this short psalm, the singer rejoices at the return of Israel following the Diaspora, the conquering of Israel and its enslavement. In this hymn, the people remember the greatness of God as he restores their nation and brings them back to their own land ("Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves"). The sense is one of being overflowing with thanksgiving.
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Gospel: Luke 13:18-21
Commentary on Lk 13:18-21
These two parables describe the humble beginnings and the ultimate growth of the Kingdom of God presented through Jesus’ ministry. While they have parallel passages in the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark (Matthew 13:31-33 and Mark 4:30-32), they are especially powerful for the Gentile population to which St. Luke ministers because of the inclusive nature of the stories.
CCC: Lk 13:20-21 2660
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Reflection:
There is a comedic theatrical device wherein the hero and/or heroine are facing a seemingly overwhelming group of adversaries when suddenly the attackers stop and flee. The hero is surprised since defeat was certain. Then the camera view pulls back to reveal an even larger threat to the attackers (a huge number of reinforcements, a monster [as in the case of Abbot and Costello, Lou was frequently in this situation.]). The viewer was generally surprised along with the hero when the attackers ran away and then, when the supporting force was seen, everyone laughs because it was not the hero his attackers fled, it was the unseen force supporting or behind him or her.
We use this familiar movie ploy to emphasize the underlying meaning contained in Jesus’ parables of the “Mustard Seed” and the “Leaven.” The use of these stories was to tell the followers of Jesus that from that small group of faithful believers, the Gospel would spread to every part of the world. But there is something even deeper. It spreads not because the disciples are superhuman. Quite the contrary, they are ordinary people; we might even call them average. Yet, when they are handed the Gospel of the Lord, and Jesus gives them his authority and the Holy Spirit, it is as if there were suddenly a host of reinforcements standing behind them. The enemies of the Word of God cannot stand against that band of faithful followers, no matter how insignificant their numbers may seem, or how weak they appear physically.
It is this very idea that makes our pride in spreading the Word of God laughable. When we believe that what we accomplish in the name of the Lord occurs because of our efforts, we are like Lou Costello facing down a group of killers thinking he has intimidated them into running away, when all along the huge giant behind him was what caused their flight.
Today we pray that we may be like the leaven that continues the spread of the Gospel of the Lord but that we never assume that we do so out of our strength. May we look to the Lord for that strength today and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Pax
[1] The photograph is “Mustard Tree in the Mist” Photographer and Date are UNKNOWN
[4] See NAB footnote on Romans 8:18-25
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