Daily Readings - Sun Jun 17 2018
Ezekiel
22"'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.23On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.24All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. "'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'"
2 Corinthians
6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.7We live by faith, not by sight.8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Mark
26He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.28All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."30Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground.32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful metaphors and reflections on faith, growth, and the mystery of God’s kingdom. The first reading from Ezekiel presents a vivid image of God’s power to transform and restore. The Lord takes a small twig from a majestic cedar and plants it on a high mountain, where it grows into a mighty tree, providing shelter for all the birds of the air. This passage reminds us of God’s ability to humble the proud and exalt the lowly, as well as His promise to bring life and flourishing even in the most unlikely circumstances.
The second reading from 2 Corinthians shifts our focus to the spiritual journey of the believer. Paul describes the Christian life as a pilgrimage, where we walk by faith rather than sight. Though we may struggle in the body, we are called to trust in God’s plan and strive to please Him, knowing that one day we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. This passage invites us to reflect on our own faith journey and the ways in which we are being shaped by God’s grace, even when the path is uncertain.
In the Gospel, Mark offers two parables about the kingdom of God. The first compares the kingdom to a seed that grows mysteriously, even when the sower is unaware of the process. The second likens it to a mustard seed, which, though small, grows into a tree large enough to shelter the birds of the air. These parables teach us to trust in the hidden and often imperceptible ways God works in the world and in our lives. Just as the seed requires time and care to grow, our faith and efforts, however small they may seem, can bear fruit in ways we cannot fully anticipate.
These readings remind us that God’s work in the world and in our lives is often gradual, mysterious, and transformative. Like the mustard seed, our faith may start small, but with patience and trust, it can grow into something extraordinary. As we navigate our own spiritual journeys, let us embrace the pilgrimage of faith, trusting that God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. May we, like the mustard seed, become a source of shelter and hope for others, reflecting the boundless love and mercy of God’s kingdom.