11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle B
June 13, 2021
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 5pm and 11am
Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville 8am
Two Lessons
This morning, I want to share with you two reflections about the very beginning of the Mass, the Penitential Act.
The first idea – based on the first parable in today’s gospel – is about God and God’s love. The second idea – based on the second parable – is about us and our growth.
Lesson 1: God and God’s Love
First, at the beginning of almost every Mass, we have what is called a Penitential Act or Prayer.
Often, this is introduced with words like: “Let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.” Usually, I introduce this by saying something like: “As we begin Mass, let us open our hearts to the love and mercy of God.”
My reason for beginning this way is that our first focus needs to be on God and God’s love. The idea is that we start where we hope to end.
We want to end our celebration of Mass with an experience of the love of God. And we want our lives on earth someday to end with the love of God in our hearts and with ourselves formed in that love.
So, we begin the Penitential Prayer with an awareness of God’s presence and love. This, almost naturally, leads us to be aware of our need for God’s love and mercy.
This means that it leads us to be aware of our humanity, our weaknesses or faults or sinfulness. But always, always in the context of God’s love for us!
This approach doesn’t deny the reality of sin. In fact, I went through the regular prayers of the Mass and counted eleven times where we use the word sin – eleven times in every Sunday Mass we celebrate.
So, there is plenty of awareness of our humanity and sinfulness in the Mass. We have to make sure that this is also wrapped up in the awareness of God’s love.
If it is not, as one of our Catholic authors says, the risk is that the Penitential Act or any penitential prayer will become self-focused. We can end up being focused on self and on our sin.
Whereas, we need to be focused on God and God’s love. Again, as one of our authors says, we have to remember that “We don’t have to earn God’s love; we just need to accept it.”
“We don’t have to earn God’s love; we just need to accept it.” This is the whole point in the first parable of today’s gospel.
The farmer realizes that ultimately, it is not his work that causes the seed to grow. Rather, it happens in some way, without his doing it.
The point is that it is God’s grace or love that makes good things happen. We need to remember this in all our prayers.
Lesson 2: Our Growth
The second lesson really flows from this.
The brief parable of the mustard seed is all about growth. Jesus says that the smallest of seeds can become a large shrub.
So, the kingdom of God – that’s the expression that Jesus uses for the presence of God. Maybe the kingdom or presence of God within us is something like the mustard seed.
With God’s grace and love, the presence of God can grow within us. We can become more and more God-like, more and more Christ-like.
One way that I recommend for doing this is to identify the number one area where I need to grow personally and spiritually. Maybe it’s impatience – or having to be right all the time – or looking down on people who are different from me – or not being there enough for my loved ones.
Whatever it is, identify the number one area where we need to grow – the mustard seed area. And then, week after week, bring that to God here in the Penitential Act.
Allow the grace and love of God to work within you in that one area. Over time, maybe months, see if there is a difference – some growth.
That’s our part, what we need to do for letting the love of God not just forgive us but empower us to grow. That, I believe, will be a healthy and holy way for approaching this part of the Mass.
