11th SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
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The Mass: Collect Series Icon. |
COLLECT
The Collect for the Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary
Time Year B reads as follows:
O God, strength of those who hope
in You,
Graciously hear our pleas, and
since without You mortal frailty can do nothing
Grant us always the help of Your
grace,
That in following Your commands we
may please You by our resolve and deeds.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You in the
unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
In making this prayer tangible, the
following reflection questions emerged:
- What does it mean to hope in God?
- How does hoping in God give me strength?
- How will I hope in God this coming week?
- Is my relationship with God one of dependence on Him?
- Do I know the commands of God and the commands of God for my daily life?
- How will I endeavour please You through my resolve and deeds this coming week?
GOSPEL REFLECTION
The Gospel for today is from St. Mark.4:26-34. Jesus in this Gospel tells the crowds and the
disciples ( and us) what the Kingdom of God is like. He uses parables to teach the crowd so that
they could understand. He explained to
the disciples what the parables meant when they were alone. So what about us? What is the kingdom of God like? Do we spend time with Jesus so that He can
explain to us what we need to know and so that we can understand too.?
The parable of the seed is one of encouragement. We may sow a seed of interest in the faith
but the seed will be ready for harvest at just the right time. Not necessarily the right time for us but for
the right time for the person in whom the seed
was sown. In other words, we may
not see the harvest ourselves of what we have sown in this life but this should
not stop us from cooperating with God and sowing seeds of the gifts of the
Spirit to all we come in contact. Even a smile to a stranger passing in the
street can sow a seed. It may lift that person’s spirit and with that lift may
encourage that person to do something for another person too. It is the ripple effect.
The other aspect of the mustard seed that I find encouraging is
that the seed started out as the smallest seed and yet grew to the biggest shrub
of all so that the birds could shelter in its branches. Our own little
offerings of each day of our daily tasks may seem insignificant but faithfully
and cheerfully done will help our tiny seed grow. We too are like the mustard
see that has huge potential for growth.
Sadly many people do not want to grow- to change. In fact the stats show
that 90% of the population are working at 25% of their capacity/their
potential. What would the world be like
if even half the population worked at 50% of their capacity? However, why not work at 100% of your capacity
even if you think your contribution is as small as the mustard seed.
This week’s Gospel challenges us
to reflect on What the Kingdom of God is like in these 2 parables. We do not need to come up with our own images
of what the Kingdom of God might be like.
Jesus tells us in this parable. We need to reflect on what this parable means
for my life and to take proactive steps to encourage the seed that God Himself
has given each one of us. Remember the
seed will come into harvest at just the right time. God’s timing is always
perfect.
It also challenges us to Let God be God of our lives- let Him be no 1 in our lives or put it another way' thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven'.
What seeds will you sow this
coming week with God’s grace?
Will God be no 1 in my life this coming week?
