Word to the Wise
Sunday, June 14, 2015 - 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Ezek 17:22-24; 2 Cor 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34]"To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seed on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants.....[Mark]
Some of you in the Beloved Congregation know of my fondness for gardening. When I recently changed residences in Texas from Houston to Lubbock, one of the first things I did was to get some seed planted! The first seeds I planted were those of the herb, Sweet Basil. These seeds are indeed tiny and yet they produce a plant that is thousands of times larger than themselves. A little seed can produce a big result. Jesus' parable strikes home. Even if you are not a gardener, the next time you see an acorn on the ground, look for the oak tree that was once an acorn.
On this Sunday, I am in a small town in Texas to make a "mission appeal." This means I am asking the people at this church to take up a collection to benefit the work of a congregation of sisters in India. I have never met these sisters and I fully suspect no one in the parish has, either. Yet, our small efforts in a small town in Texas can yield big results for the education and care of young women in Hyderabad, India. I had been in Lubbock only a week and I attended a farewell party for a young woman who has gone to Hyderabad to work with abandoned children. Her mustard seed represents a total dedication. Each of us can look for the small ways we can advance the kingdom of God. Christians are a small minority in India, and they are occasionally persecuted. My hope is that the good people of the parish will help plant a mustard seed in India. Perhaps you know of other similar situations where you can help. AMEN