Jesus proclaims that he has come to fulfill the law and the prophets, inviting us to renew our faith that he is the Lord and dive deep into the Old Testament as it recounts our salvation history.
Here are some of the themes that we find in the Mass readings for the 11th Week of the Year.
1st Reading – Ezekiel 17:22-24
God will plant a cedar shoot on a high and lofty mountain where it will become a majestic tree.
All the trees of the field shall know that the Lord has done this.
Psalm – 92:2-3,13-16
“Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.”
We give praise to God who nourishes us so that we can grow, thrive, and bear fruit.
2nd Reading – 2nd Corinthians 5:6-10
Because of the gift of faith we are courageous as we face our daily fears and challenges.
We aspire to please God, knowing that one day we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
Gospel – Mark 4:26-34
Jesus uses plants as parables to illustrate how the Kingdom of God starts small, is a process that is guided by the Lord, and becomes a large and majestic creation.
The Book of Genesis and Mark’s Gospel reveal how evil unravels the human heart, but our pursuit of the will of God restores us to the Lord’s family of faith.
The Blessed Virgin Mary experienced the full range of human emotions while remaining faithful to God’s plan. May we draw near to her Immaculate Heart and allow her to lead us to her Son.