11th Sunday Ordinary Time
Fr, Mark Gatto
Preached: June 16, 2024
Where would you look to find God in our world today? If someone asked you where they might find God, where would you send them?
Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed, the Kingdom of God is like this tiny, small seed, yet it grows into a large tree that provides much coverage. God is at work, the Kingdom of God is in our presence, even when we do not see it, when we do not feel it. Often it is in the smallest, the most silent, the least known ways and places. We need to see with the eyes of faith.
If we are looking for God in the biggest story, the most important people, in the youtube or facebook page that has gone viral, we will probably miss the grace of God. If we look for God in the richest, the most powerful, the most important, then we will probably miss the grace of God. Look for God in the smallest, least important, seemingly unimportant in the eyes of the world.
See parents sacrificing and caring for their children. You will not see this in the news, it is not a big thing, yet it brings something good into our world.
See grandparents praying for their grandchildren and bringing them to church, it is not a big thing, it seems small, yet it produces something good in our world.
See a friend who is quietly supporting a friend going through a hard time. It might not be noticed by others, it is not a big thing, but it brings something good into our world.
One person choosing to be honest, it may not be noticed by anyone, it might seem to be a small thing, yet it produces something good in our world.
The elderly person sitting at home alone but praying quietly, it might not be noticed, it is not a big thing, yet it produces something good in our world.
The child with autism, seems unimportant to the eyes of the world, yet in that child we may also see the grace of God.
All of these seem small, they are not noticed, yet God takes these and brings something much larger out of them. We need to see with the eyes of faith.
There is a line in the famous poem of Gerard Manley Hopkins that says, “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” As Catholics we should see all in the world as filled with the grace of God. Often we walk through life missing the grace of God. We are so busy, rushing so much, distracted by many things. We miss the grandeur of God in all the incredible ordinary moments of daily life.
Our Catholic Sacramental vision points out that everything in this world is a potential path to God. But, only if we notice the Kingdom of God in the tiny mustard seeds.
What will help us to recognize the grace of God in each moment, in each place, in each person? A life of prayer should help us to have eyes of faith. But it is not about saying prayers, it is about living in prayer.
Today I want to speak about one simple prayer that may be helpful to us to live in prayer. It is called the Jesus Prayer. You simply repeat this simple prayer as you are walking or as you are driving or in any place. “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” When you do not have time for longer prayers. When you find it difficult to pray, in your heart simply repeat this prayer. “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
This may help keep our eyes open to recognize the grace of God around us wherever we are. We might even be surprised by joy and gratitude in the smallest moment, the simplest person, the most ordinary place.
So, if your are looking for God, begin right where you are, with the person in front of you. Live in prayer so that you will see the grace of God in each moment, in each place, in each person. They are the mustard seeds of the kingdom of God.
