GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 27TH JANUARY 2017
FRIDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
FIRST READING: Hebrews 10:32-39
PSALM: Psalm 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40
GOSPEL: Mark 4:26-34
THEME: THY KINGDOM COME
Inherent in every seed is a story. It is a story of what appears insignificant to the human eye but turns out to be something of real significance that impacts its environment.
In our Gospel text, Jesus speaks to a crowd that had a strong expectation of an imminent in-breaking of the Kingdom of God. Some of them were anticipating a violent overthrow of the Roman government that had usurped power in Palestine and a subsequent establishment of the Kingdom promised by the Lord. A strong yearning for change and a messiah to effect that change characterised the mood at this time. In response to that expectation, Jesus uses two parables to expatiate on what the Kingdom of God is all about. In both parables, he likens the Kingdom of God to a seed. In this way, he helps his audience to appreciate the gradual transformation that takes place wherever the seed of the Kingdom is sown.
The first parable (Mark 4:26-29) is found only in the Gospel of Mark. Here, the analogy of a grain that sprouts gradually and grows into a full blown plant with the passage of time is used to express the point that the Kingdom of God, in a mysterious way, grows and expands gradually.
In the second parable (Mark 4:30-32), the analogy of a mustard seed is employed to accentuate the fact that the beginnings of the Kingdom may appear insignificant but ultimately grows into something very big.
The seed of the Kingdom of God is sown in the hearts of human beings. Its growth brings transformation. Those who are transformed become building blocks. When these transformed men and women come together, at that moment, the Kingdom of God has come.
Whenever we pray, “…thy Kingdom come…”, the onus is on us to avail ourselves for the Kingdom of God to be established in, with and through us here on earth.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, sow in my heart the seed of the Kingdom and use me for your glory. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).