June 13: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I: Ezekiel 17:22-24
Responsorial Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-161
Reading II: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

We’ve been shepherding our families and some of us even have a hand in shepherding our colleagues at work, our neighbors, and our friends through this pandemic. We do it by involving them in schoolwork, cooking, cleaning, gardening, repairing, and celebrating birthdays and graduations, sacraments and holidays in new ways. Storytelling is one of the ways we shepherd one another. When the prophet Ezekiel shepherded 3000 fellow Jews through their deportation to Babylon he spoke in parables, stories that gave his people hope and reassurance. Paul did the same in today’s reading from the first letter to the Corinthians. He helped his people find courage. Ezekiel and Paul and you and I tell our children and friends stories that help us all appreciate the ways God helps us. Ezekiel gave his people hope even as Jerusalem was about to be destroyed. His stories filled their minds with images of giant cedar trees bearing fruit. He wanted them to share his vision of the restoration of the Davidic kingdom by describing the majestic trees providing nesting places for birds. These images helped them recall the golden days with King David when the people were faithful to God. 

Pope Francis carries on Ezekiel’s and Paul’s tradition of facing horrific difficulties with wisdom and grace. He gives us hope and courage in his writings: Laudato Si helps us face environmental issues in positive and practical ways. Fratelli Tutti encourages us to be neighbors to one another in fraternity. Ezekiel, Paul, Pope Francis, and our Gospel writer, Mark, today show us the kingdom of God is where love is, where God is respected, where care is given and compassion is shown, where God is on people’s minds and hearts and where people are helpful. As Mr. Roger’s mother taught him, wherever there is trouble look for the helpers. Well, Ezekiel, Paul, Pope Francis, and Jesus show us that helpers are signs of the kingdom of God.   

As we help one another this fifteenth month of the pandemic, we try to alleviate injustices, disparities, pollution, gun massacres, and incivility in discourse even about what used to be safe topics. We could use a daily dose of Psalm 92: 2-3, 13 to 16 to be reminded of what God has helped the people of God plant and nurture into bearing fruit that flourishes and remains vigorous and sturdy. It is we who must scatter the love seeds of the kingdom of God; we do not do it alone. Members of our community are building the kingdom by the love they show one another in the neighborhood, in the supermarket, in the community garden, in the parking lot, at work, and at ball games. God gives the growth. We’ll all be invited to share what God is calling us to nurture as people of God during the Synod consultations from October 2021 through April 2022! How can we plant and nurture seeds of love better as sharers in God’s reign? How can we be living seeds of love in our world and in our church? Can we pray for the courage to be compassionate?    

~Deni Mack, DMin, Pastoral Associate Emerita