GO AND SPREAD THE LOVE OF CHRIST

 

Homily 11Th Sunday in the Ordinary time Year B

FirstReading: Ezekiel 17:22-24

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Theme:  GO AND SPREAD THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 

The first reading from Prophet Ezekiel, speaks about how God plants and makes a tree to sprout branches and bear fruit, where every kind of bird will live beneath it and every winged creature rest in the shades of its branches.

Similarly in the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the Mustard seed which at the time of sowing is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it turns into the biggest shrub and put out branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade. The mustard seed was the smallest seed, but it grew into a huge plant. This is one of the parables of growth. In this parable, Jesus gives us a couple of things to reflect upon.

The Kingdom of God can be summarized as the everlasting realm where God is sovereign and Jesus Christ rules forever. A kingdom where God reigns in our hearts and souls and where love conquers. It is a kingdom where truth is said and established; a kingdom where understanding, tolerance, justice and fear of the Lord is lived-out as we go about our daily activities. 

The insights about the kingdom of God is first that although God's Kingdom  started small, with Jesus and the disciples, it would grow and spread across the world to unlimited numbers of followers. Secondly, it shows us how little seeds/efforts when cultivated lead to a huge outcome. And finally, it tells us that God has planted his seed in our hearts the very day we were baptised. 

Baptism made us a part of that salvific message that was believed and shared among the early Christians about 2,000 years ago. And the centre of this message that God has planted in our hearts is “His love made manifest in the Son” and he has asked us to spread this love like branches to people where ever we go.

We as Christians are connected with God through Christ. Like the vine, we are the branches and we are urged to continue to live-out the gospel values by showing love and light to the world.  This is why in the Second reading, St Paul asks us to “make a home with the lord”, to stay connected with Christ the main source. How do we make this home with God?

We shall make home with God by accepting and acknowledging “God’s love” and by practising it; by partaking in the Eucharist, from whence it can grow to a huge outcome like: Kindness, Justice, understanding, tolerance, charity and fear of God.

Therefore as Christians, we are called to shine in the world so that all people living in the dark can see Christ in us and thereby experience the Kingdom of God which is living amongst us. We know that we can not achieve this without his Grace, and so we pray for the grace to acknowledge the presence of God in our heart and conscience, so as to grow into mature individuals, drawing men to God.

May the Lord bless his words in our heart through Christ our lord! Amen.

Reflection by:

Rev. Paschal Nwankwo,SMMM