Our Sunday Reflection

SELECT HERE for the Audio recording of the Readings of
Sunday, July 12th, 2020, the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

SELECT HERE for the Readings of Sunday, July 12th, 2020, the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Join Fr. Anthony as he reflects on his memories from his childhood days through his life's journey from Uganda to Lunenburg...READ HERE

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Sunday, July 12th, 2020, the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
 

“My word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it”.
Isaiah 55: 11

TO DEVELOP HOPE, CULTIVATE (RE-DISCOVER) MYSTERY
 

The disciples approached Jesus and asked, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"  Jesus replies, "Because the knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.  They ‘look’ but do not ‘see’ and ‘hear’ but do not listen or understand." (Matthew 13: 10-11,13) 

An honest self-introspection of our lives might find us also like the crowd sitting down by the sea, fixed on Jesus’ every word.  For there is a lot that is or can be inexplicable in our lives; we often hear, but do not listen or understand.  We look, but do not see.  Despair, frustration and the need for answers are more widespread than we would like to admit.  For many, the present does not make sense, the future is bleak and unpromising, everything seems to close in on many.  Like it or not, there is a hunger and thirst for hope in the world.  To all who have ever found themselves in the above predicament, the readings are addressed this weekend.  The message is:  to develop hope, one must cultivate ‘mystery’ meaning:  there must be planted, grown, deepened and mature in us a solid faith and trust that God can never be written off.  God is always at work.

In the first reading, those who find themselves in exile in Babylon, write Yahweh off.  They think Yahweh is no longer interested in them.  They feel that their fate is sealed.  Isaiah reminds them God is not done.  

Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55: 10-11)

The word of God, hides God’s mystery. It is laden with the hidden power of God.  A power that is a creative power. When God speaks, it is; to say is to do.  Will they allow then the word of God to soak their lives and see?  Will they respond to its challenge and thereby allow God to act with liberty in their lives.  If they risk to do this, they will see the fruits. 

How often do you listen to the word of God proclaimed and let it not return empty? 

What does it mean to be ‘good ground’ (Psalm 65) or ‘rich soil’?  What indeed makes Jesus’s listeners ‘fertile soil’ to plant the ‘little seed’ (God‘s word)?  Good ground, rich/fertile soil is a disposition that truly believes and trusts in the mystery of God, that God is at work and cannot be written off.  The ‘little seed’ does not follow the metrics of success or failures of the world.  There is another value system here.  It is God at work.

Who then are the rich who will get richer? They are the ones who allow us to cultivate the mystery of God in their lives.

The challenge of today’s readings is twofold.  First, it is not to hesitate, but to allow the mystery word of God to soak our lives.  Let it transform you.  In order to do this, the word of God will many times confront you, teach you and direct you.  Let us open our ears to listen well to this potent word.  It will yield fruit.  Beware that you do not make the list of those ‘bad’ listeners to the word of God. (See the Gospel, Matthew 13:1-23) 

Secondly, know, believe, and trust that God is mystery.  Cultivate it in you.  God’s ways are not our ways.  There is nothing beyond Him.  In today’s world, we have lost the sense of mystery. We seem to think we can figure everything out, or can get to everything or have a formula to anything, yet we soon realize we are insufficient, we cannot make it on our own. 

Let us humble ourselves before Him, who is all in all.  Bring to him what is done or undone in our lives.  He will guide us to hope, Joy and fulfillment.

Fr. Anthony

 

View the below videos for another Reflection on the readings.