Growth through Faith

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to invoke our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader to present our faith, like the mustard seed, as the beginning of growth in truth, love, and mercy.

Seeds of Faith

The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews is an exhortation to have Faith.

* [10:32] After you had been enlightened: “enlightenment” is an ancient metaphor for baptism (cf. Eph 5:14; Jn 9:11), but see Heb 6:4 and the note there.

* [10:37–38] In support of his argument, the author uses Hb 2:3–4 in a wording almost identical with the text of the Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint but with the first and second lines of Heb 10:4 inverted. He introduces it with a few words from Is 26:20: after just a brief moment. Note the Pauline usage of Hb 2:4 in Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 37 is an Exhortation to Patience and Trust.

* [Psalm 37] The Psalm responds to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? The Psalm answers that the situation is only temporary. God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth. The perspective is concrete and earthbound: people’s very actions place them among the ranks of the good or wicked. Each group or “way” has its own inherent dynamism—eventual frustration for the wicked, eventual reward for the just. The Psalm is an acrostic, i.e., each section begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each section has its own imagery and logic. (Psalms, PSALM 37 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Mark presents the Parable of the Growing Seed and the Parable of the Mustard Seed with an explanation on the Use of Parables.

* [4:26–29] Only Mark records the parable of the seed’s growth. Sower and harvester are the same. The emphasis is on the power of the seed to grow of itself without human intervention (Mk 4:27). Mysteriously it produces blade and ear and full grain (Mk 4:28). Thus the kingdom of God initiated by Jesus in proclaiming the word develops quietly yet powerfully until it is fully established by him at the final judgment (Mk 4:29); cf. Rev 14:15.

* [4:32] The universality of the kingdom of God is indicated here; cf. Ez 17:23; 31:6; Dn 4:17–19. (Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “God gave us what was most precious,” by Isaac of Nineveh (a Syrian monk, teacher, and bishop), 613-700 A.D.

"The sum of all is God, the Lord of all, who from love of his creatures has delivered his Son to death on the cross. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son for it. Not that he was unable to save us in another way, but in this way it was possible to show us his abundant love abundantly, namely, by bringing us near to him by the death of his Son. If he had anything more dear to him, he would have given it to us, in order that by it our race might be his. And out of his great love he did not even choose to urge our freedom by compulsion, though he was able to do so. But his aim was that we should come near to him by the love of our mind. And our Lord obeyed his Father out of love for us." (excerpt from ASCETICAL HOMILY 74.28) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 4:26-34 comments that we hear conversion stories of formerly hardened atheists. That’s why Christianity is exploding in parts of the world like Africa and Asia. And that’s why lay movements and other groups are forming and flourishing, even in places where the practice of the faith is declining. Christ is now and will always be at work among us.

So don’t get discouraged! You can certainly detect signs of unbelief around you and in the culture at large. But don’t let that blind you to the fact that God is still setting people’s hearts on fire. Remember, Jesus and his small band of rough and uneducated followers became a worldwide Church that has endured through two thousand years. All because of a “mustard seed” that gave rise to a plant so large that many “can dwell in its shade” (Mark 4:31, 32).

“Jesus, I trust you to continue to lead people to yourself!” (Meditation on Mark 4:26-34, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the exhortation in Hebrews to the faithful that their suffering brings greater reward in their relationship with Christ. The mustard seed of faith is scattered and we trust that God will bring it to great fruition. Friar Jude notes that the mustard plant is very invasive and will take over a garden like the Kingdom will conquer the world.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, critiques how, even within Christianity, we doubt the healing power of the gospel.

We’ve largely lost the very word healing in mainline Christian churches. Around the time I entered into ministry, there was a resurgence in the notion of healing prayer and healing services. Many Catholics thought, “Well, this must come from the Protestants; we’re not into healing!” And of course, they were right! Many Catholics didn’t expect to really become healed people in an inner or outer way. As priests, we felt our job was to absolve sin rather than help people to grow and heal. “Get rid of the contaminating element,” as it were, rather than “Learn what you can about yourself and God because of this conflict, pain, or suffering.” Those are two very different paths. In the four Gospels, Jesus did two things over and over again: he preached and he healed. We did a lot of preaching, but not too much healing. We didn’t know how.  

I’m convinced that if preaching doesn’t effect some level of healing or transformation in the listener, then it’s not even the gospel being preached. Healing is the simplest criterion of preaching the word that I can imagine. The truth heals and expands us in its very hearing: “The truth will make you free” (John 8:32). It allows and presses us to reconfigure the world with plenty of room for gentleness and peace for ourselves, and for those around us. Only whole people can imagine or call forth a more whole world. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to strengthen our faith as we journey through times of anxiety and trial in anticipation of healing through our relationship with Jesus and His community.

References

Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/10?32 

Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/4?26 

Meditation on Mark 4:26-34. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/01/31/1190921/ 

Psalms, PSALM 37 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/37?3 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Healing Power and the Church. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/healing-power-and-the-church/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jan31 

Persevere in Practice

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to persevere in accepting our mission to let our light of love, mercy, and compassion be shown in our actions.

Persevere in the Light

The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews is a Call to Persevere.

* [10:19–39] Practical consequences from these reflections on the priesthood and the sacrifice of Christ should make it clear that Christians may now have direct and confident access to God through the person of Jesus (Heb 10:19–20), who rules God’s house as high priest (Heb 10:21). They should approach God with sincerity and faith, in the knowledge that through baptism their sins have been remitted (Heb 10:22), reminding themselves of the hope they expressed in Christ at that event (Heb 10:23). They are to encourage one another to Christian love and activity (Heb 10:24), not refusing, no matter what the reason, to participate in the community’s assembly, especially in view of the parousia (Heb 10:25; cf. 1 Thes 4:13–18). If refusal to participate in the assembly indicates rejection of Christ, no sacrifice exists to obtain forgiveness for so great a sin (Heb 10:26); only the dreadful judgment of God remains (Heb 10:27). For if violation of the Mosaic law could be punished by death, how much worse will be the punishment of those who have turned their backs on Christ by despising his sacrifice and disregarding the gifts of the holy Spirit (Heb 10:28–29). Judgment belongs to the Lord, and he enacts it by his living presence (Heb 10:30–31). There was a time when the spirit of their community caused them to welcome and share their sufferings (Heb 10:32–34). To revitalize that spirit is to share in the courage of the Old Testament prophets (cf. Is 26:20; Heb 2:3–4), the kind of courage that must distinguish the faith of the Christian (Heb 10:35–39).

* [10:20] Through the veil, that is, his flesh: the term flesh is used pejoratively. As the temple veil kept people from entering the Holy of Holies (it was rent at Christ’s death, Mk 15:38), so the flesh of Jesus constituted an obstacle to approaching God.

* [10:21] The house of God: this refers back to Heb 3:6, “we are his house.”

* [10:22] With our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience: as in Heb 9:13 (see note there), the sprinkling motif refers to the Mosaic rite of cleansing from ritual impurity. This could produce only an external purification, whereas sprinkling with the blood of Christ (Heb 9:14) cleanses the conscience. Washed in pure water: baptism is elsewhere referred to as a washing; cf. 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 5:26.

* [10:25] Our assembly: the liturgical assembly of the Christian community, probably for the celebration of the Eucharist. The day: this designation for the parousia also occurs in the Pauline letters, e.g., Rom 2:16; 1 Cor 3:13; 1 Thes 5:2. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 24 proclaims Entrance into the Temple.

* [Psalm 24] The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15). A choir identifies the approaching God and invites the very Temple gates to bow down in obeisance (Ps 24:7–10). (Psalms, PSALM 24 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Mark presents the parable of a Lamp under a Bushel Basket.

* [4:1–34] In parables (Mk 4:2): see note on Mt 13:3. The use of parables is typical of Jesus’ enigmatic method of teaching the crowds (Mk 4:2–9, 12) as compared with the interpretation of the parables he gives to his disciples (Mk 4:10–25, 33–34) to each group according to its capacity to understand (Mk 4:9–11). The key feature of the parable at hand is the sowing of the seed (Mk 4:3), representing the breakthrough of the kingdom of God into the world. The various types of soil refer to the diversity of response accorded the word of God (Mk 4:4–7). The climax of the parable is the harvest of thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold, indicating the consummation of the kingdom (Mk 4:8). Thus both the present and the future action of God, from the initiation to the fulfillment of the kingdom, is presented through this and other parables (Mk 4:26–29, 30–32). (Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Larry Gillick, S.J. (2020) comments that whatever is good, especially if very good , we are oriented to desire more of it.

Today’s image is a lamp, a light which, when lit, is not meant to be hidden in a tub or under a bed. Simple and clear enough in the hearing, but, what if we want more, a better lamp, light!   Jesus tells His disciples that, what is hidden will be revealed and what is secret will be disclosed. To this we respond, “ah good, God is going to give us more, clearer, enough!”   We will never have enough to complete Him on earth, one cookie, such as yourself, myself, is what He asks us to be and to share and not from under a tub or bed. Two cookies are always better than one and yet the one, limited, seems to be enough for Jesus to share with us. (Gillick, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Called to shine in the midst of darkness,” by Tertullian, 160-225 A.D.

"Why does the Lord call us the light of the world? Why has he compared us to a city on a hill (Matthew 5:14)? Are we not called to shine in the midst of darkness, and stand up high for those most sunk down? If you hide your lamp beneath a bushel (Matthew 5:15; Luke 8:16, 11:33), you will soon notice that you yourself will be in the dark. You will find others bumping into you. So what can you do to illumine the world? Let your faith produce good works. Be a reflection of God's light. The good is not preoccupied with darkness. It rejoices in being seen (John 3:21). It exults over the very pointings which are made at it. Christian modesty not only wishes to be modest, but also it wishes to be beheld as what it actually is." (excerpt from ON THE APPAREL OF WOMEN 2.13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 4:21-25 comments that time spent quieting our minds and pursuing inner stillness is like tilling the soil of our hearts. It clears away the rocks and rubble of the world and gives space for God’s word to penetrate and take deep root in our hearts. There are no shortcuts. Good soil and a fruitful harvest come only with time and persistence.

Jesus promises to give us as much of himself as we are willing to make room for. So take a moment today, even if it’s just for five minutes, to silence your phone and be still. Let go of your worries and distractions and simply be present with Jesus. Know that he will meet you in the silence and plant the seed of his life ever more deeply in you.

“Lord, quiet my soul so that I can truly hear you.” (Meditation on Mark 4:21-25, 2025)

Friar Jude Winkler notes the passage from Hebrews today is an exhortation to gather in our assembly to proclaim and encourage others. The wisdom sayings in the Gospel of Mark are to encourage us to do things in public to invite others to our community. Friar Jude reminds us that the charity and mercy that we practice opens us to accept love and mercy from God.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Rev. Kamilah Hall Sharp who challenges the church to support those who are suffering from the terrors of domestic abuse. She affirms God’s desire that all be healed and helped. 

For so long, we have failed victims of domestic violence…. Please hear me when I say this; I do not believe God wants any of us to stay in a relationship where we are being abused, married or not. I believe God loves us too much to want us to be abused. God does not want what God has created and said is wonderfully and fearfully made harmed in any way. And as the church, as followers of Jesus, we should not want anyone to be abused for the sake of staying married…. We must be willing to help…. I think we sometimes forget we are the hands and feet of Jesus. We can show or take people to get the help they need. (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek to be open to the nudges of the Spirit to “go the distance” in being light and support for full life to the people we encounter on our journey.

References

Gillick, L. (2025, January 30). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/013025.html 

Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/10?19 

Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/4?21 

Meditation on Mark 4:21-25. (2025, January 30). The Word Among Us. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/01/30/1190318/ 

Psalms, PSALM 24 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/24?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Stand Up Against Violence. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/stand-up-against-violence/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jan30