Gospel Reflections for June 17 2018
…the smallest of seeds
This Gospel is good news, especially if you feel in need of more grace and strength.
I am now in my second week of our annual Archaeological Pilgrimage of the Holy Land. We have already visited the Garden of Gethsemane, Bethlehem, and in Jerusalem …the Way of the Cross, the Crucifixion site, and the tomb where Jesus rose from the dead on Easter.
We have journeyed far from our home parishes to see these places. Our parish churches are wonderful places where there is Sunday Mass every week, along with joyful weddings, baptisms, parish school graduations, wonderful parish carnivals, and recently, First Communions and Confirmations.
In the Holy Land, we visit the area where at the time of the Gospel, the number of Christians in the whole world numbered just a tiny amount! There were no parishes or church structures at all. A lot has happened since them, which is the theme of today’s Gospel.
Jesus knew that what started out so small in Jerusalem was just like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds that also grows into the largest of all plants. He could see the future and knew that His mission of salvation would plant itself inside the souls of people everywhere and blossom in the world wide Church that Catholicism is today, with well over one billion people.
He adds the beautiful image of “all kinds of birds of the air find nesting in its branches” meaning that all kinds of people “flying by” or searching for meaning in their lives would recognize that this is the place where they could land and find a home. What a perfect image of a parish just as Jesus intends it to be!
The person of Jesus reaches every culture and every person no matter where they live and no matter what their circumstances. No one can reach the human person more deeply than the One connected to God the Father who created all of them.
The mission of every parish today is to be that place where we meet the Lord, no matter what our circumstance or situation, and find a home in His arms.
While I am always glad to visit the Holy Land where Our Lord’s mission began, I know it is more fulfilling to live it daily at St. Bruno, and in every parish where Our Lord lives.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Safe Travels, Father Dave. Tom and I have very fond memories of our Holy Land trip with you, in 2015. Wonderful experience, bringing the Gospel and the Catholic faith to life for me.
Yes, I remember your trip well. Great group!
Dear Father Dave,
I’ve always loved the parable of the mustard seed, perhaps because I truly do believe it!
Your Holy Land trip sounds wonderful. Enjoy the days to come and return safely….
God bless you.
Kathleen
Thank you!
Fr Dave & group,
Enjoy your trip to Holy Land. I found it to be life changing for me. I guess my faith has been growing like the mustard seed.
Shalom
Jane
Now you can see why I so much enjoy going every year!
Father Dave, Dick and I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeed sharing our precious Holy trip to Israel with you!!Enjoy every moment with your beautifuyl group!!!Love your words that everyone in each parish find a home in Jesus’ arms!!! How precious!!! Dick and I love being hugged by our precious Lord of love and being in His loving arms!! We are hugging Him back in sooooooo much loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
I envision our precious Jesus’ holding you all in his endearing, loving arms!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!
With loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Franca and Dick
We all felt the Lord’s presence every day!
In listening to this Gospel and after the 2 Things take time sometimes and it helps us to grow in faith.nd time listening I was drawn to the planting of the seed.then the blade and the ear then the seed. So the first time I heard it I was saying yea yea yea. The second time I was noticing (cause part of my childhood I lived on a farm and we grew our own veggies.. We would watch them grow. We would go out and wee how far they had grown every day. As I remember, it takes time for them to grow. In this country we want everything now. We have instant mashed potatoes, soup in a can etc. etc. etc. We want it now. That is not how things work out. Our walk with the Lord is a day by day experience where things take time and it helps us to grow in faith and trust in God.
I hope you are having a wonderful time
Very wise insights!
The image of the birds nesting in the branches is a wonderful metaphor for our Church. Enjoy your stay in the Holy Land. Rick and I may join you on a future excursion.
Looking forward to your joining us one year!
Hi Father Dave, as the saying goes,
“I wish my son and I were there with you”. But I know we are because our memories of our own visit with your group a few years back, your only presence there is enough for us,
Jesus Christ is within us all the time and we are a part of his church and as such continue to spread the Good News. May God Bless you and everyone in this group and keep you all safe and may all enjoy this fountain of knowledge, You!!!
Thank you for your kind thoughts!
I’ve always wondered before why i cant catch up of the meaning of some metaphoric words when – reading or listening to it. me Just the small mustard…i insist on focusing how will i grow, how will i set up my mind to what it refers to my faith. I am very thank ful this time for i had found your page easy to swallow your words. I found a fertilizer that will able me to grow until such time that i can accommodate birds who wants to stay-rest in me or hep in having them shelter to lean on. That is sharing anyone i can able to talk and share the good new of the Jesus our Lord which is salvation and how good is the Lord to sustain my needs spiritually, physically and emotionaly. Thank you Jesus..thanks Fr Dave and hope someday the Lord will grant me his love to journey to Jerusalem..Amen…
Thank you for your thoughtful message. Looking forward to your joining the journey to Jerusalem one day!