June 13, 2021

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

GROW: Many years ago, I met someone whose attentive hospitality cast a seed in me that took root and enabled me to grow as a disciple of Jesus. At the meetings I attended with her, Sister Bridget would immediately greet everyone with a smile, outstretched hand, and, “Hello, I’m Sister Bridget; what’s your name?” You couldn’t help but feel at ease with her warm greeting, but it didn’t end there. Throughout the encounter, she remained just as positive and as completely present as she had in the beginning. Just like the parable of the man scattering seed in today’s Gospel, Sister Bridget didn’t know how the seed of God’s word would grow as she sowed it in her unique, joyful way. To her, maybe her graciousness was the smallest gesture. But the Lord allowed it to sprout and grow, yielding fruit and a bountiful harvest.

GO: Today’s Gospel verse within the Alleluia proclaims, “The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower. All who come to him will live forever.” By our baptism, we are called to continue the work of Christ, sowing the word of God in our world. This may seem an intimidating expectation for all of us who doubt that we have the expertise to “sow” God’s word. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the crowds that the kingdom of God is like the smallest of seeds, that once sown, becomes the largest of plants. If we believe in Christ and “aspire to please him,” God can use our smallest gestures to sow his word in the world. We may not see how our small acts of kindness accomplish this. But if we scatter these “seeds” out of love for God, we can trust they will take root, grow abundantly, and call others to “come to him [and] live forever.”

INVITE: What “seeds” of welcome can you scatter among those you encounter? Make your “random acts of kindness” regular, intentional acts that express God’s love. As St. Thérèse of Lisieux said: “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love."