PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE

Science has discovered a seed has a shell (the seed coat), an embryo (a tiny baby plant) and endosperm (plant food), and we still marvel at the shell’s ability to sense and respond to the right environment to begin germination. The growth of the seed remains mysterious. A seed may lie dormant for a time, but it is still alive and has the potential to grow into something beneficial and great for the world.

Earlier in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus compared God’s Word to seed. Today, he compares the seed to God’s kingdom. These parables explore the mysterious nature of the kingdom’s growth. Perhaps Mark added these two parables to encourage the early Church. Jews who chose to follow the new way of Christ’s Gospel were asked to make changes in their understanding and application of Torah and its many traditions. They have been asked to embrace Jesus as the new high priest, to accept that the traditional series of sacrificial offerings have been replaced by Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice, and to put Christian gatherings ahead of temple worship.

It’s not surprising when these early converts questioned their initial zeal and decision to become Christian, because of the rejection, abuse, and persecution that were common experiences for them. The author of Hebrews letter is reminding the reader of their original enthusiasm and joy and urging them to have patience and perseverance, so not lose the reward their newfound faith offers them.[1]

At least on occasion, todays Christians question whether this life of faith we practice will really grow into God’s kingdom and embrace the whole world. Patience and perseverance do not come easily for most of us. Patience means the willingness to suffer; perseverance means the willingness to endure. Neither is a popular remedy in the face of opposition. And yet the pre-Christian Roman playwright Plautus suggested, “Patience is the best remedy for every trouble.” Our own Thomas Jefferson advised a friend, “To every obstacle oppose patience, perseverance, and soothing language.”[2]

Hebrews starts by asking us to “remember the days past when…” (Heb 10:32) remember when we first received the good seed of God’s Word, our initial enthusiasm and joy. Take time today to contemplate your faith journey, how a small seed, settled itself into the soil of your heart. Maybe it laid dormant for a time, all the while, without our knowing, the Kingdom was growing within, until one day an epiphany came to our consciousness, with new life and new challenges.

 

As so often happens, we more easily advocate patience or perseverance than put either into practice. Yet, as the psalmist tells us, “Trust in the Lord… Take delight in… and commit to the Lord your way.” (Ps 37:3-5) For God indeed never seems to be in a hurry. Maybe that’s why he asks patience and perseverance of us! May we have sense and respond to seed of His kingdom present in our heart, that we might, in our own smallness, produce something beneficial and great for the world.

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[1] Weekday HomilyHelps, Exegesis by Norman Langenbrunner

[2] Ibid. Homily Suggestion by Norman Langenbrunner

HERE’S TO OUR HEALTH

Research shows that good relationships help people live longer, deal with stress better, have healthier habits, and a stronger resistance to colds. People in healthy long-term relationships are 50% less likely to die prematurely than people without them. In terms of life expectancy, living without these healthy relationships is as unhealthy as smoking! 

We are social beings – and the quality of our relationships affects our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Author Brené Brown explains, “A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all men, women, and children. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong.”[1]

St. Paul had a special relationship with Timothy, whom he described as a brother, fellow worker, and “my son.” Paul is clearly his mentor. Paul further hints at the depth of their relationship, in the letters to Timothy. He begins with an expression of his relationship with and gratitude to God, the foundational relationship. Paul is providing advice to his “dearly beloved son” and acknowledges that seeing Timothy would bring him great joy. Paul speaks of Timothy’s “sincere faith” first formed by his Jewish grandmother and his mother, who is described in Acts 16:1 as “a believer” (meaning a Christian). These are all signs of their long-term relationship, their trusting relationship. 

Speaking of important relationships, in the Gospel, we hear, Jesus’ mother and brothers are outside, asking to see him. His response, on first hearing, is surprising if not offensive, “Who are my mother and brothers?” (Mk 3:33) Jesus obviously was not denigrating affection for relatives, but he did use a common expectation to emphasize the even greater relationship, our relationship with God. The criterion for being a member of his family is obedience to the Father of that family. It was not so much Mary’s womb that made her his mother, but her consent to God’s will.[2]

Timothy and Titus are Paul’s trusted companions to lead the believers through the many tensions of the early Church. More importantly, they remind us that following Christ requires carrying the cross of developing and maintaining community relationships that obediently fulfill the Father’s will for us. (Love & Unity) 

In Church relationships today, the tensions and divisions still exist. We can become discouraged by the scandals, the political discord, and the seemingly countless failures of its members and officials—while still asking God, at every Mass, not to forget the Church’s faith. Timothy and Titus, serve as examples of coping with the contentious debates, false teachers, and persistent abuse the Church has known from its infancy. They are models of perseverance, patience, and diplomacy. When we are tempted to give in to disappointment, we need to remind ourselves that we, too, are members of a community often capable but sometimes weak.[3] Yet, are called to be engaged in a long-term relationship with God, and with each other, for our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

[1] Psychalive.org, “Healthy Relationships Matter More Than We Think” by Robyn E. Brickel, M.A., LMFT.
[2] Weekday HomilyHelps. Exegesis by Norman Langenbrunner.
[3] Ibid. Homily Suggestion by Norman Langenbrunner.

ENTRUSTED WITH THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION

Today is the: 

• Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children 
• Anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe vs Wade 1973 
• Day 2 of the 9 Days for Life Novena 

The story I’m about to share is true and shared with permission. It was the week before her senior year of high school, and only a few sips into her favorite treat - a Peach Lemonade. But that day - for the first time - it turned her stomach and right away she was afraid. She & her boyfriend had been dating for four months and she could only think of one reason why the lemonade made her so sick. She was pregnant. 

When she got home, she immediately I took a pregnancy test. Then another one, hoping the first one was wrong. Both were positive and collapsing to the floor, sobbed, thinking: “I was the cheerleading captain, a solid A/B student, I have big plans for my future.” Now, she felt like her life was over. Thrown it all away with one mistake. 

Most of all, she didn't want to disappoint her mother. She was ashamed of herself, but even worse, she was ashamed of the innocent baby inside her. So, they decided this "mistake" wouldn't ruin the rest of their lives and made the decision to "terminate." 

She made an appointment at the abortion clinic. Then she called her mother. Her mother’s words stopped her in her tracks. "You really don't want an abortion. You just want to run away from the consequences of your actions.” She wasn't angry. She didn't yell. But she was right. We feared what people would say. We didn't want to mess up our own plans for college and our future. Her mom asked her to go to a pro-life pregnancy center in the next town over. To make a long story short, she kept both appointments, and most importantly, chose life for her baby girl, Brooklyn. WHY? 

For me it was the language in which she experienced in every step after her decision, starting with her mother. She wasn’t angry, nor yelled, she spoke truth in love. Her experience as both clinics, the language at one spoke of the child, the other of taking care of the “mistake”. 

For us, our take away, comes is in our Gospel Acclamation, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” In today’s Gospel we hear that Jesus summoned and selected the twelve, on the mountain, where he taught them and empowered them to preach and drive away demons. We are now the disciples; our mountain is prayer, where we learn to speak the Good News and through our words drive away demons. We have been “entrusted with the message of reconciliation.” 

As we work to build God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, the Gospels frequent message includes, that a fundamental part of God’s kingdom is the way all people are protected. Most especially, the most vulnerable and voiceless among us: the unborn and bullied; those persecuted because of their race, gender, religion, national origin and sexual orientation; the poor, imprisoned, infirmed, and the elderly. Our words and behaviors have the power to condemn or reconcile. As Christians we’ve received “this … message … from the beginning: We should love one another.” (1 Jn 3:11) and “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one another.” (Jn 13:35)