The Godof surprises - St Johns
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the God of surprises
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time —june 13, 2021
In today’s Gospel passage (cf. Mk 4:26-34), Jesus speaks to the crowd about the Kingdom
of God and the dynamics of its growth, and he does so by recounting two brief parables. In
the first parable (cf. vv. 26-29), the Kingdom of God is compared to the mysterious growth
of the seed, which is cast upon the ground and then sprouts, grows and produces ears [of
grain], independent of the care of the farmer who, when it is fully grown, sees to its
harvest. This is the message that this parable conveys to us: through Jesus ’ teaching and
action, the Kingdom of God is proclaimed, has burst into the field of the world and, like the
seed, grows and develops by itself, through its own strength and according to humanly
incomprehensible criteria. In its growth and development in history, it does not depend
much on man’s doing, but is above all an expression of the power and goodness of God, of
the strength of the Holy Spirit who brings forth Christian life in the People of God.
At times history, with its events and its protagonists, seems to go in the opposite direction
of the design of the heavenly Father, who wants justice, fraternity and peace for all his
children. But we are called to live out these periods as seasons of trial, of hope and of
vigilant expectation of the harvest. Indeed, yesterday like today, the Kingdom of God
grows in the world in a mysterious way, in a surprising way, revealing the hidden power of
the little seed, its victorious vitality. Within the folds of personal and social events which at
times seem to signal the failure of hope, it is important to remain confident in God ’s
subdued but powerful way of acting. For this reason, in moments of darkness and of
difficulty we must not lose heart, but remain anchored in faithfulness to God, to his ever -
saving presence. Remember this: God always saves. He is the Saviour.
In the second parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed. It is a very
small seed, yet it grows to become the greatest of all the plants in the garden: an
unforeseeable, surprising growth. It is not easy for us to enter this logic of the
unforeseeable nature of God and to accept it in our life. But today the Lord exhorts us to
an attitude of faith which exceeds all our plans, our calculations, our predictions. God is
always the God of surprises. The Lord always surprises us. It is an invitation to open
ourselves more generously to God’s plans, both on the personal level and on that of the
community. In our communities it is important to pay attention to the little and big
occasions of goodness that the Lord offers us, allowing ourselves to engage in his
dynamics of love, of welcoming and of mercy toward others.
The authenticity of the Church’s mission does not come through success nor through the
gratification of the results, but by going forth with the courage of trust and the humility of
abandonment to God. Going forth professing Jesus and with the power of the Holy Spirit. It
is the awareness of being small and weak instruments which, in God ’s hands and with his
grace, can accomplish great deeds, advancing his Kingdom which is “righteousness and
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. May the Virgin Mary help us to be simple, to be attentive,
to cooperate with our faith and with our work to develop the Kingdom of God in hearts and
in history.el Dios de las sorpresas
XI Domingo Ordinario— 13 de junio, 2021
En el Evangelio de la Misa de hoy (cf. Marcos 4, 26 -34), Jesús habla a la multitud del
Reino de Dios y del los dinamismos de su crecimiento, y lo hace contando dos breves
parábolas.
En la primera parábola, el Reino de Dios se compara con el crecimiento misterioso de la
semilla, que se lanza al terreno y después germina, crece y produce trigo,
independientemente del cuidado cotidiano, que al finalizar la maduración se recoge. El
mensaje de esta parábola lo que nos enseña es esto: mediante la predicación y la
acción de Jesús, el Reino de Dios es anunciado, irrumpe en el campo del mundo y,
como la semilla, crece y se desarrolla por sí mismo, por fuerza propia y según criterios
humanamente no descifrables. Esta, en su crecer y brotar dentro de la historia, no
depende tanto de la obra del hombre, sino que es sobre todo expresión del poder y de
la bondad de Dios, de la fuerza del Espíritu Santo que lleva adelante la vida cristiana en
el Pueblo de Dios. A veces la historia, con sus sucesos y sus protagonistas, parece ir en
sentido contrario al designio del Padre celestial, que quiere para todos sus hijos la
justicia, la fraternidad, la paz. Pero nosotros estamos llamados a vivir estos periodos
como temporadas de prueba, de esperanza y de espera vigilante de la cosecha. De
hecho, ayer como hoy, el Reino de Dios crece en el mundo de forma misteriosa, de
forma sorprendente, desvelando el poder escondido de la pequeña semilla, su vitalidad
victoriosa. Dentro de los pliegues de eventos personales y sociales que a veces parecen
marcar el naufragio de la esperanza, es necesario permanecer confiados en el actuar
tenue pero poderoso de Dios. Por eso, en los momentos de oscuridad y de dificultad
nosotros no debemos desmoronarnos, sino permanecer anclados en la fidelidad de Dios,
en su presencia que siempre salva. Recordad esto: Dios siempre salva. Es el salvador.
En la segunda parábola, Jesús compara el Reino de Dios con un grano de mostaza. Es
un semilla muy pequeña, y sin embargo se desarrolla tanto que se convierte en la más
grande de todas las plantas del huerto: un crecimiento imprevisible, sorprendente. No
es fácil para nosotros entrar en esta lógica de la imprevisibilidad de Dios y aceptarla en
nuestra vida. Pero hoy el Señor nos exhorta a una actitud de fe que supera nuestros
proyectos, nuestros cálculos, nuestras previsiones. Dios es siempre el Dios de las
sorpresas. El Señor siempre nos sorprende. Es una invitación a abrirnos con más
generosidad a los planes de Dios, tanto en el plano personal como en el comunitario. En
nuestras comunidades es necesario poner atención en las pequeñas y grandes
ocasiones de bien que el Señor nos ofrece, dejándonos implicar en sus dinámicas de
amor, de acogida y de misericordia hacia todos. La autenticidad de la misión de la
Iglesia no está dada por el éxito o por la gratificación de los resultados, sino por el ir
adelante con la valentía de la confianza y la humildad del abandono en Dios. Ir adelante
en la confesión de Jesús y con la fuerza del Espíritu Santo. Es la consciencia de ser
pequeños y débiles instrumentos, que en las manos de Dios y con su gracia pueden
cumplir grandes obras, haciendo progresar su Reino que es «justicia, paz y gozo en el
Espíritu Santo». Que la Virgen María nos ayude a ser sencillos, a estar atentos, para
colaborar con nuestra fe y con nuestro trabajo en el desarrollo del Reino de Dios en los
corazones y en la historia.From Bishop Crosby’s Heart to Heart
June 11, 2021 (#439)
THIS WEEK’S WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENT from the Premier of Ontario permits us to
open our churches for Masses and other services at 15% of capacity starting today – Feast
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! This is good news – which comes after a very long and
debilitating shutdown! This is Step 1. Step 2, which is foreseen to take place in three weeks,
if all the signs are good, should allow us to open to an even higher percent of capacity. One
step at a time! Pastors are reminded to observe all the usual protocols in place to assure the
safest possible environment in our parishes. Priests and parishioners are also encouraged
to get any one of the vaccines, for their own well-being and for the safety of those who
worship with us!
THE TRAGIC ACT OF HATRED which occurred in London this week has heightened our
awareness of the presence of Islamophobia in our communities. An increase in Anti-Semitic
attacks across the country is also troubling. The Executive Committee of the Canadian
Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement calling for an end to religious
violence in Canada, most especially Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism. See the statement
here.
THE CALL FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TO “APOLOGIZE” for our involvement in
government sponsored Indigenous Residential Schools is loud and clear. The apologies
actually began 30 years ago, when the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate offered an
apology at the annual Lac Ste. Anne (Alberta) pilgrimage – a long-time sacred pilgrimage
site for thousands of Indigenous Peoples from North America. The Oblates were marking
their 150th anniversary of presence and ministry in Canada, and chose to make the apology
an important part of the anniversary year. You can read the apology here.
AND JUST YESTERDAY the CCCB announced a long-in-the planning initiative to send a
delegation of Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, residential school survivors, and
young people to meet with Pope Francis in a “meaningful encounter of dialogue and
healing”. The event will be a rich conversation between a diverse group of Indigenous
peoples and the Pope. The pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions stalled the project;
however as these restrictions ease, the delegation has resumed its planning for the visit.
Read the statement here.
CATHOLICS WORLDWIDE ARE URGED TO PRAY FOR PRIESTS today on the
World Day of Prayer for Priests. The day was begun by Saint John Paul II in 2002 with the
objective of having the faithful pray for the sanctification of Priests. The Day of Prayer
coincides with the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
THE DIOCESAN FAMILY MINISTRY OFFICE is collaborating with Hamilton Right to Life
to provide an online information session and discussion about Bill C-7. Mrs. Teresa Hartnett,
Director of the Family Ministry Office, will share important information about the Bill which
expands the eligibility criteria for euthanasia and assisted suicide. We need to understand
the impact of this Bill on the dying and the vulnerable. Read more and register here. The
workshop is free on Thursday, June 17th, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Register to receive the ZOOM link.REOPENING FOR PARTICIPATION
IN OUR PARISH LITURGIES
We had received the following indication from the Chancery Office:
“Based on province-wide vaccination rate and continuing
improvements in key public health and health system indicators,
we will move to Step One of the Provincial Reopening Plan,
effective on Friday, June 11th. This means that our churches are
permitted to open at 15% capacity for Masses beginning on the
weekend of June 12-13, 2021.
It is expected that churches will be permitted to move to Step Two
approximately 21 days later to accommodate 25% capacity.
All the protocols which we have observed for Mass during the
past many months remain in force”.
From Saturday June 12th, we will be back to the regular Mass
Schedule before the Stay-at-home Order:
Wednesday 8.30 am Mass
Saturday 5.00pm Mass
Sunday 9.00 am Mass (Streamed Online as well)
Marriage Support- Is your marriage experiencing more trouble than joy,
feeling stagnant or disconnected and/or causing you worries? The solution is
Retrouvaille - a program for married couples facing difficult challenges in their
relationship. Retrouvaille has one purpose: to help couples restore their marriage
and rebuild a loving partnership. This is a practical program, where sharing is not
required except between the couple themselves, designed to improve
communication, build stronger marriages, and help couples reconnect. It also works well
for couples who may be considering separation or divorce. Retrouvaille is offering their
weekends by zoom offering more possibilities for engagement. For more information call
905-664-5212 or email teamrecine@gmail.com.
PARENTING TIP: June is a good time to help your children reflect on the
successes and challenges of the past school year. God provides every person with gifts to
use in the world and it is good to remind your children that we are called to use our God-
given gifts. Ask them to reflect on the gifts they see in themselves and share the gifts you
see in them. Help them realize that they are indeed special and have good things to offer
to others in their lives.ACTUALIZACIÓN COVID-19
DIRECTRICES PARA LA CELEBRACIÓN DE LA MISA
Junio de 2021
Las Autoridades Religiosas y Civiles han juzgado que se dan las
condiciones necesarias para reiniciar las celebraciones públicas en
las iglesias a partir del viernes 11 de junio. Para nuestra parroquia,
estas disposiciones se concretan de la siguiente manera:
1. Nuestro Obispo Douglas Crosby mantiene la suspensión del
Precepto Dominical en toda la Diócesis de Hamilton. Por lo tanto,
NO estamos obligados a asistir a Misa los domingos hasta nuevo
aviso.
2. La pandemia del COVID-19 sigue activa. Es indispensable
mantener en todo momento el distanciamiento social y
protegernos del contagio, teniendo en cuenta que la nuevas
variantes del virus parecen transmitirse con más facilidad.
3. El Gobierno Provincial ha establecido que las reuniones religiosas
se realicen al 15% de la capacidad de los edificios. Por ninguna
razón se superará este límite. Una vez que se alcance el número
máximo permitido, las puertas se mantendrán cerradas y no se
permitirá el acceso a más personas.
4. Siguiendo las indicaciones de la Autoridad Civil, al participar en
cualquier celebración en la iglesia se debe usar mascarilla/
cubrebocas todo el tiempo. Solamente puede ser removida al
recibir la Comunión. En caso de que no pueda usar mascarilla por
razones de salud, se le pedirá que muestre un comprobante de su
médico.
5. No será posible socializar en la iglesia ni en el parqueadero
hasta nuevo aviso.
La Misa de los martes, viernes y sábados a las 7:00 p.m.
y domingos a las 11:00 a.m.
St John’s Parish - Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
519 745 7855 — office@stjohnskitchener.ca — 85 Strange St., KitchenerYou can also read
