30th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Eph 5:21-33
Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church, he himself the savior of the Body. As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So also, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his Body. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.
Gospel: Lk 13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Again, he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
THE LITTLE THAT GROWS IN GOD’S HAND: When the Spirit of the Lord is at work, what appears to our eyes as small can have huge waves. Who could imagine when Mother Theresa of Culcutta went out to the street to serve the poor would reach out to such a vast number of humanity one day? Our works too may look very insignificant but when done at the inspiration of the Spirit it produces fruits beyond our calculations. The missionaries who travelled in service of the gospel made the church grow into a big tree. One should not be discouraged thinking about magnitude of the work to be done and the littleness of one’s capacities or the insufficient laborers in the vineyard. The small mustard seed that we plant will grow into a large bush that can shelter many birds. It is not the labor and the laborer that matter but God who works behind.
Prayer: Lord, may I give myself totally at the service of your kingdom.
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AMAZING KINGDOM OF GOD: Every thought of the Lord was directed at the Kingdom. Jesus spends all his energies, limitlessly for the building up of the Kingdom. He uses simple and clear analogies while teaching so that the message sinks straight into the hearts of the listeners. He visualizes a Kingdom that works for all, a Kingdom that is amazing to all. This Kingdom is not complicated, it starts from a humble beginning and later grows and spreads all over. As Christians we must be humble so as to receive the Kingdom. Once we receive it in humility, we shall prosper all over the world. Christianity started with a few followers but presently it is worldwide. What an amazing kingdom it offer! Humility permits God to receive and work with us for His kingdom. Let us also grow in faith to enlarge it.
PRAYER: Lord, help us to grow in your Kingdom.
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THE EMERGING KINGDOM: Sometimes we do find the traces of God’s Kingdom around, especially in the little works and persons. We expect that it manifests itself through powerful signs through great works and structures. However, even when it might apparently seem invisible, it is an all-embracing presence which operates subtly in the hearts of the people. When we open our eyes we can recognize that, even in the most unexpected places and situations, there is a silent but touchable manifestation of God’s Kingdom. Every action, no matter how insignificant it seems, if done at the service of life and love, God is ever close there. God’s own love and life is there present moving the hearts of peoples towards his Kingdom of justice and peace.
DAILY GOSPEL 