HOMILY SUNDAY WEEK 11 – B

We Walk by Faith

(Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92; 2 Cor 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34)

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What is the Kingdom of God? What are signs of the kingdom in our community? How can we nourish God’s kingdom here and now?

These are good questions to ask as we continue Ordinary time, after the Easter season, Pentecost, the Feast of the Trinity and the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

In the second reading, St. Paul gives us a key phrase, inviting us to walk by faith, not by sight. We are to see the kingdom of God in small beginnings and events in our world.

It is not that we see a different world than non-believers; we just see it differently, by faith and not just by sight. We see God acting in all things, and not just by direct vision. Faith is perception that is beyond reason without contradicting reason.

In the first reading, Ezekiel talks about a sprig, a fresh shoot, that would be planted on a mountain and grow. He was a temple priest, taken away in the exile. He was writing for his fellow exiles when they were at their lowest moment. Israel had been subjected, oppressed, captured and over-whelmed. God’s promises to them of a Davidic king and a kingdom seemed preposterous and cruel. Yet Ezekiel was able to speak of a new kingdom that would be theirs, a sprig planted on a mountain that would gather all nations to it (the birds mentioned in the reading). Ezekiel was walking by faith and not by sight.

In the Gospel, Jesus is speaking about the same thing. A mustard seed becomes the symbol of God at work in almost invisible ways, without people knowing how. It would grow into a great tree that would shelter all kinds of birds – actually, a symbol of all the nations Ezekiel mentions. We know Jesus was that mustard seed, and he was crucified. Talk about a mustard seed – a man who was mocked and crucified, would be the seed of Christianity. One who was crucified, rose from the dead and sent forth the Spirit to create the church, was the mustard seed.

Throughout our history, there were many other mustard seeds. St. Francis of Assisi was one such seed. Seen as strange and outlandish at first, he discarded the life of luxury to take on a life of poverty and to rebuild the church. Attracting others, after initial mockery and rejection, they became an established religious order that continues to this day. He also was a mustard seed.

St. Mother Theresa can be seen as another mustard seed. A frail person who left her order to begin a work of serving the poor, she founded an international order of religious women dedicated to giving dignity to dying people in Calcutta and serving the poor around the world. She mentioned that if there were poor people on the moon, she would go there to serve them. She also was a mustard seed.

Charles Lwango was another such mustard seed. When he and some companions refused to provide sexual favours to the king of Kampala, they were arrested, and burned alive. He kept suffering patiently until near the end, when he was heard to sigh, “Oh God.” This seemed to be the end of the Christian faith in that country, but now 400 million Christians gather at his graveside to pray and worship God. Charles was a mustard seed.

In the end, we are also called to be mustard seeds, to never give up on God, and to never let ordinary perceptions determine what we do and who we become.

The Eucharist is itself a living out of the parables. The Word of God works mysteriously within us to nourish and transform us, like a mustard seed. Then humble gifts of bread and wine are consecrated and in turn transform us into the Body of Christ.

We are then sent out into the world as labourers in the vineyard of the Lord, to walk by faith and to share that faith with others as mustard seeds, so they too can share in the peace and joy of the Lord.