Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • June 15, 2018 5 9274 Hwy 49/Airport Gulfport, MS 39503 228-863-5525 1-800-880-2446 FAX: 228-863-9612 www.butchoustalet.com In thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit, Blessed Mother and St. Jude, for prayers answered. BAB Thank you, Jesus and Mary, St. Jude and St. Anthony, for prayers answered. CS In thanksgiving to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, for prayers answered. KM Thanks to St. Jude, St. Anthony, and Jesus and Mary, for prayers answered. JW Thanks to St. Jude and St. Anthony for prayers answered. KPS Thank you, Jesus, Mary, St. Jude and St. Anthony, for prayers answered. CS The principal of a Christian grade school became concerned about her students behavior at lunch time. She observed that instead of taking one apple each, some students were taking two or more and the apples ran out before every student had an opportunity to get one. And, even after a lecture was given to the students on being considerate of others, the problem persisted. So, one day she decided to apply some divine assistance to teach a lesson, and put a handwritten note behind the apple basket for all to see. It read, “Take only one apple, God is watching.” To her amazement it was an immediate success as the students complied and there were enough apples for all. But later that day a cafeteria worker reported they ran far short of Oreo cookies and many students had to do without. Upon investigating that problem, they noticed a neatly printed note, apparently written by a student, that had been placed in front of the Oreo cookie tray. It read, “Take as many cookies as you want, God is watching the apples.” Have you ever noticed how we have become accustomed to believing that God is only where we put him? If he is watching the apples, he can’t possibly be watching the cookies too. We construct God’s boundaries, limitations and time slots, where God is allowed to enter only into certain areas of our lives and only when we want him there and can get somewhat disturbed when God violates the constraints we impose on him. Attempting to limit God’s activity or presence, however, is extremely counterproductive to our faith development. Therefore, it may not surprise us to know that God has a different plan, as expressed in today’s readings. Chapter 17 of the book of Ezekiel is God’s message through the prophet to the rebellious Israelites. In their obstinance, they refused to allow God to defend them in battle against neighboring enemies and despite Ezekiel’s warnings, made alliances with powerful pagan nations to try to defeat their foes. Of course, their rejection of God’s help led to their defeat and captivity in a foreign land. If only they heeded the prophet’s words and accepted God’s intervention on their behalf, life would have been much better for them. God refused to accept their limitations of his involvement in their lives and to hopefully teach them a lesson, destroyed their pagan alliances. In today’s reading, God goes one step further in coming to their aid. God will restore the former dynasty under King David, where they enjoyed peace and prosperity, not because they deserved it but because God kept his part of the covenant made with their forefathers. God promises to plant the new and eternal kingdom, that will never be defeated, under the Lordship of his only son, Jesus Christ. By rebuilding David’s dynasty, God proves that only Israel’s God can restore a people’s destiny. Thus far we have reflected on ways we limit God’s activity in our lives. That premise centers on our needs, our wants, and what satisfies us so that if anything is not feeding into my satisfaction at any given moment, I could decide to call God in to change the way things are going. But, isn’t that very self-centered? Isn’t it as if I make the rules, I call the shots, and God sits by passively waiting to see if He has permission to enter the game, to play with my ball on my court? Today’s Gospel takes a different yet related approach. Through the parables of Jesus, it implies the question of whether God needs us at all or can He run the world (our world) very nicely with or without our help? In the parable of the scattered seed, the one who scatters, sleeps and rises night and day (in other words, doesn’t do anything else) and without him knowing how or contributing in any way, the seed sprouts, because God does the work. We have all experienced this type of God’s intervention in small and larger ways. When a surgery goes smoother than anticipated, a lump that was once visible is no longer seen, a financial issue is worked out unexpectedly, someone’s counsel offers a new perspective, a sudden trans-formation of a dear one who has been in our prayers, or even a genuine certifiable miracle. In summary, Ezekiel did prophesy the Lord’s message. Paul, in our second reading, did accept the call of Jesus to be an apostle to the Gentiles despite great hardship. And the sower in today’s Gospel did scatter the seed. DidGod need the human involvement and activity that was put into these events? Absolutely! Could God have accomplished the rebuilding of David’s dynasty, and the conversion of pagan Gentiles without human involvement? Undeniably! Could any of us accomplish something spiritually or socially beneficial without God? Certainly not! God continues to demonstrate his desire for people to cooperate in his plan of salvation by using patriarchs, prophets, kings, apostles and anyone willing to serve. Everything comes from God’s initiative, therefore even when we put our gifts and talents to work for God’s glory, credit must be given to God for motivating our “yes.” Can God watch the apples and the Oreo cookies, and accomplish miraculous things in our lives as well? Only a fool would think not. Deacon Ralph Torrelli lives in Hattiesburg and is assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. Visit his website: www.homilypearls.com . 1st Reading: Ezekiel 17:22-24 Psalm: 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time Limiting God Deacon Torrell i Sunday Scripture Commentaries