Homily for January 27, Friday of the III week in OT, year II

Homily for January 27, Friday of the III week in OT, year II

We should never underestimate the power of God.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus explains with parables how God takes things that seem insignificant, and turns them into wonderful sources of food, shelter, rest, and strength. The Lord uses the images of seeds of grain and bushes or trees, but it is clear that He is speaking of the Church. It started with just a few Apostles and disciples, yet was destined to extend to the ends of the earth, bringing God’s love, strength and forgiveness to people of all nations. He also expresses clearly that God is the one who truly makes this happen. The farmers in the parable help, but they could do nothing without God.

The first reading can be taken as a sort of illustration of this truth. King David started out as a shepherd, and the least of his brothers, but God raised him to the position of the king of Israel. We see today how weak David really is. Even though he has been very favored by God, not only does he commit adultery, but he resorts to deception and murder to cover it up. And yet this man is still chosen by God to play an important role in the history of Israel. God works through him to free the Israelites from their foes, and to start a lineage from which will be born Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

At times we may feel very small, or weak, or inadequate for the roles we play in our personal lives or in the Church. We may feel that we are not holy enough, not strong enough, or not smart enough. When that happens, we can look to what God did through King David despite his weakness, and we should be encouraged by the Gospel parables. They teach us that, if we work with God and trust in Him, He will bring forth an abundant harvest that will make us and the whole Church grow as a source of strength and life.