11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Many of us have experienced problems in one form or another. We often fail to view problems from the proper perspective and thus fail to come up with solutions, because we are either too close to the problem, are ourselves involved and muddled in it or we are the problem. In dealing with our problems, our perspective can be widened if we realise that God has intervened and helped resolve problems throughout human history. This way, we can view things from God's perspective.

In today's Gospel, we read about the Parables of the Growing Seed and the Mustard Seed. The first tells us that the Reign of God will definitely come about as its seed grows to maturity, while the second teaches that God’s Reign, though of humble beginnings, is destined for greatness. God's Reign is one of truth, justice, love, and peace. But what we often see and experience in life is the opposite. Everything seems to have a price, including truth and justice. Whose truth eventually prevails, in the media or the courts, is sometimes based on who paid more or who has the power or political clout. Justice seems to favour the rich and powerful. Love? There is so much hatred between husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, neighbours, different groups and peoples. This begs the question: Does peace really and truly exist?

There is one thing though about God's Reign that we should be conscious of: it is already here but at the same time, not quite yet. It is already here because Christ had established it with His coming. Not quite yet, because truth, justice, love, and peace have yet to spread completely throughout all aspects of human life. God is continually at work and in due time His Reign will be established in its fullness. But we should not think that we can rest on our laurels or be complacent, since we too have our part to play in establishing God's Reign, since we are God's cooperators in His work. If we want truth to prevail, we need to plant the seed of truth. We want justice and love, we also need to plant their seeds. But once planted, we must water and fertilise them as well as clear them of weeds. If there is truth, justice and love, then peace is not too far away since these three are connected. In short, we must first live and practise the values of the Kingdom before we can convincingly ask others to do the same. Moreover, God wants us to have patience. We cannot expect that just because we have set ourselves to do God's work, because we have planted the seeds of truth, justice, love and peace, then the world will change immediately and automatically. Like a seed, things take time to grow and need to be nurtured. There will be pains, challenges, difficulties and sorrows. But like God, we must be patient before the harvest.

All this points to the fact that we have indeed a big and substantial task ahead of us. But we must do our part and start somewhere: at home, in school, at our workplace, in our community. As we do our part, let us be patient. In His own time, God will bring our work, His work, to fruition.