When I go to a wake, I ask the family questions about the deceased person for my homily the next day. I get information about their life, their job, hobbies and personality.
Several times a year the family will remark…”Dad (or Mom) never, ever said an unkind word about anyone.” As I drive home after the wake, the only thing I can think about are the weeds that I sow about other people when I talk negatively about them. I shake my head because they will never be able to say that about me at my wake and funeral. It’s something for me to really work on!
This time of year, you and I enjoy eating watermelon. A watermelon comes from a tiny seed. Do you have any idea how many times a seed has to multiply itself to become a full-grown watermelon? 200,000 times!! When planted and nurtured a tiny watermelon seed will form a white rind, a delicious red heart and hundreds of other seeds, each capable of growing 200,000 times as well.
It’s a lot like the tiny mustard seed Jesus tells us about in today’s Gospel (Mark 4:26-34). Just imagine what you and I can do with the tiny Communion host that we can again receive as the pandemic lessens. Imagine the love of Jesus growing 200,000 times inside of us. We’d be able to reach out to so many, many people who can use the love of Jesus today in their lives.
Love is the only thing in the whole world, that the more of it you give away, the more of it you wind up having for yourself.
Who can YOU reach out to today and share the love of Jesus with so that it will then grow in them?
THE GOSPEL STORY IS THE ONLY STORY WHERE THE HERO DIES FOR THE VILLAIN!
