Daily Readings - Sun Jun 16 2024
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the mystery of God’s plan and the call to trust in His providence. In the first reading from Ezekiel, we hear a powerful metaphor of the cedar tree. God takes a small twig from the top of a lofty cedar and plants it on the mountains of Israel, where it grows into a great tree, providing shelter for all the birds. This image speaks of God’s ability to humble the exalted and exalt the lowly, reminding us that His ways are not our ways, and His power is often revealed in the smallest and seemingly insignificant things.
In the second reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul encourages us to live by faith and not by sight. He reminds us that our true home is with the Lord, and while we are on pilgrimage here on earth, we must strive to please Him in all we do. This is not about earning salvation but about living in such a way that we reflect the love and mercy of God. The judgment seat of Christ is not a source of fear but a call to live with integrity and purpose, knowing that our actions have consequences.
The Gospel from 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, until it is ready for harvest. The second likens the kingdom to a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, which grows into a tree large enough to provide shelter for the birds. These parables teach us about the hidden and gradual nature of God’s work. They remind us to trust in the power of small, everyday acts of faith and love, for it is through these that the kingdom of God takes root and grows in our lives and in the world.
These readings together call us to humility, patience, and trust. They remind us that God’s plan unfolds in ways we may not always understand or see immediately. Like the mustard seed, our faith may seem small, but with patience and care, it can grow into something extraordinary. Let us embrace the mystery of God’s work in our lives, trusting that even in the smallest and most hidden ways, He is bringing about a harvest of love and life. May we live with confidence in His providence, knowing that our efforts, no matter how small, contribute to the growth of His kingdom.