Daily Meditation - 1st Feb. 2008 - THE LORD ALWAYS AT WORK IN US

[BarbaraTherese]

DAILY MASS READINGS
here

Further Reflection
Friday: 1 February 2008 - Mark 4,26-34

Meditation
here

Have you ever seen a mustard seed? If so, you know that it really is very small. Yet, when it’s planted, it has the potential to grow into a very full tree. That’s the way the kingdom of God manifests itself in our lives.

Like a seed at our baptism, our faith can eventually grow large enough to provide “shade” and life to others. And, like a tree, our faith will go through growth stages until it’s fruitful.

It’s only after a seed is buried—planted into the ground—that it begins to become something that we’d consider substantial. Because we tend to look at preliminary, outer manifestations, we might not see the promising results possible from a mustard seed. In the same way, we may not realize the promising results possible from the tiny seed of faith that we received when we were baptized.

God looks deeper than we tend to look. He is concerned with inner transformation. Nothing escapes his attention. Because it was God who formed you and who carries you in the palm of his hand, it is God who can bring his work to completion in you. This may be a time of waiting, or it may be a time of deeper prayer and fellowship with Jesus. Perhaps God is calling you to read his word a bit more every day or to experiment with sharing your faith with a neighbor.

Whatever the case, God is watching over you, giving you opportunities for your faith to blossom and bear marvelous fruit.

Are you ready to grow? Do you want to see more of God in your life? Look inward! Don’t just try to do all the right things (which you must), but look to the work of the Spirit in your heart as well. Is he trying to put some sin to death in you? Is he trying to help you get over a wound that someone has left you with? Give the Spirit the chance to take the seed of your faith and grow it into something magnificent.
“Father, I say yes to you today in everything you ask of me. Take hold of my life more deeply and reveal your will for my life. Build a firm foundation within me that I might also help others to know you.”

 

[BarbaraTherese]

The following is an extract from the link in the opening post: “Further Reflection” and it is always excellent information for pondering…it has reminded me that in spiritual growth I need to be prepared to grow slowly - to walk and at a snail’s pace perhaps before I ever will ‘run’. To be very content with very small victories. And my first victory always is to desire a victory in the first place before I even move. This is where a spiritual director can be most encouraging (for one) for he/she will undoubtedly be aware of the dawning desire before even I will and perhaps even articulate for me what I could not as yet. And if I desire to grow, it is only because God is drawing me or I would not even desire in the first place. In good, God is always previous. If I desire to overcome some sin or bad habit, though I am having no success at all, it remains that the consistent desire even in the face of failure is because God is granting the desire. God is always previous. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all goodness…hence His is all and any Glory small or great.
Always. The “Glory Be” is a most beautiful prayer.

• It is always beautiful to see Jesus, who sought in life and in events, new elements and images which could help people to perceive and experience the presence of the Kingdom In today’s Gospel, once again, he narrates two brief stories which take place every day in the life of all of us: “The story of the seed that grows by itself” and “the story of the small mustard seed which grows into the biggest shrub”.
*• The story of the seed which grows alone. *The farmer who plants knows the process: seed, the green sprout, leaf, spike, grain. The farmer knows how to wait, he does not cut down the grain before it is time. But he does not know how the soil, the rain, the sun and the seed have this force or strength to make the plant grow from nothing until it bears fruit. This is how the Kingdom of God is. It is a process, there are stages and moments of growth. It takes place in time. It produces fruit at the just moment, but nobody knows how to explain its mysterious force. Nobody, not even the landlord. Only God!
• The story of the small mustard seed which grows and becomes big. The mustard seed is small, but it grows and at the end, the birds make their nests in its branches. This is how the Kingdom is. It begins very small, it grows and it extends its branches. The parable leaves an open question which will receive a response later on in the Gospel: Who are the birds? The text suggests that it is a question of the Pagans who will not be able to enter into the community and participate in the Kingdom.
• Because Jesus teaches by means of the Parables. Jesus tells many parables. All are taken from the life of the people! In this way he helped persons to discover the things of God in daily life, a life which becomes transparent. Because what is extraordinary of God is hidden in the ordinary and common things of daily life. People understood the things of life. In the parables they received the key to open it and to find in it the signs of God.

4) Personal questions

• Jesus does not explain the Parables. He tells the stories and awakens in others the imagination and the reflection of the discovery. What have you discovered in these two Parables?
• The objective of the words is to render life transparent. Has your life become more transparent throughout the years, or has the contrary taken place?

5) Concluding Prayer

Have mercy on me, O God, in your faithful love,
in your great tenderness wipe away my offences;
wash me clean from my guilt,
purify me from my sin. (Ps 51,1-2)