HOMILY: 11TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: CELEBRATING FATHERHOOD AND GOD’S KINGDOM
BY: Fr. Anthony O. Ezeaputa
Ezekiel 17:22-24; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34
On Father’s Day, we honor and celebrate our fathers and father figures who have sown seeds of love, care, and guidance in our lives. As St. John Bosco once said, “A good father is one of the most precious gifts that God can give to a family.”
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Bob Tebow, a missionary and evangelist, instilled in his son Tim Tebow a strong faith and work ethic, encouraging him to pursue his passion for football. Despite challenges and setbacks, Bob was always present, supporting Tim through injuries, victories, and defeats.
Tim Tebow credits his father with teaching him valuable life lessons such as perseverance, compassion, and humility. Bob’s selflessness, wisdom, and unwavering support helped shape Tim into the person he is today—a successful athlete, philanthropist, and inspiration to millions.
The story of Bob and Tim Tebow is a perfect example of what St. John Bosco meant when he said, “A good father is one of the most precious gifts that God can give to a family.” God wants fathers and father figures to be a source of love, guidance, and dedication in their families. Bob Tebow’s impact on his son Tim’s life shows just how powerful a loving father can be.
We’re grateful for all the dads and father figures who selflessly give their love and support. May God bless and reward them for all they do. And for those who have passed away, may they rest in peace. Amen.
In today’s gospel reading (Mark 4:26–34), Jesus uses two parables of sowing seed and mustard seed to give us insights into the kingdom of God. Parables help us understand unfamiliar subjects by presenting them alongside familiar ones.
In today’s gospel, sowing seeds and mustard seeds lead us to the kingdom of God, the unknown. As St. Augustine of Hippo once said, “The Lord uses parables to draw us away from the literal meaning and lead us to the spiritual meaning.”
Jesus begins: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God.” The kingdom of God is not a place that can be identified on a map. “Basileia,” the Greek word for kingdom, translates to words like kingdom, rule, reign, sovereignty, or dominion.
When Jesus says, “This is what the kingdom of God is like,” he’s describing God’s reign and rule in people’s lives. In fact, Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
This means that God’s kingdom is manifested whenever we do His will on earth, just as it is done in heaven. God’s kingdom is a present reality, not just a future hope (Mark 1:15).
Today’s first parable compares the kingdom of God to a man scattering seeds on the earth. The seed in this parable is the kingdom of God. When the farmer is awake and asleep, the seed grows. The seed’s growth is beyond his control. The farmer’s inactivity after sowing is on the inactivity of the farmer after the sowing.
Nick is a passionate gardener who wants to grow a beautiful garden. He prepares the soil, scatters the seeds, and waters them. But then he goes on a month-long vacation, leaving the garden unattended.
When Nick returns, he’s amazed to see that the seeds have germinated, grown into plants, and are even bearing flowers and fruits! He didn’t do anything extra, but the seeds grew anyway.
Just like the farmer in the parable, Nick scattered the seeds (shared the message of God’s kingdom) and then seemed inactive (went on vacation). But the seed grew anyway, beyond his control, just like the kingdom of God grows and spreads beyond our efforts.
The emphasis is on the power of the seed itself (the kingdom of God), not the farmer’s (our) actions. Our role is to scatter the seeds of parental love, fidelity, faithfulness, kindness, forgiveness, and reconciliation, and God’s duty is to make them grow.
This parable teaches us to trust in God’s sovereignty and power, even when we’re not actively working. We must therefore have faith in God to bring about his universal rule.
The mustard seed’s tiny size was a common metaphor among Jews. But a key to the parable’s meaning is the contrast between the smallness of the seed and the largeness of the bush once it has fully grown—the contrast between small and large. In other words, God’s kingdom begins in tiny ways.
Mary Ann Beel, a retired teacher, started a small charity called “Lost Children of East Africa” in her garage. She began by raising funds to support a handful of orphaned children in Kenya. With a small seed of $100, she started a sponsorship program to provide education and support to these children.
Fast forward 20 years, and Mary Ann’s small effort has grown into a thriving organization, “Kenya Relief,” which has built an orphanage, a school, and a medical clinic. They have also provided scholarships to hundreds of children, and their programs have had a significant impact on thousands of lives in the community.
Mary Ann’s small, humble beginnings, like the tiny seed, have grown into a mighty organization, making a significant impact in the lives of many. The parable of the mustard seed teaches us that even the smallest acts of faith and kindness can lead to monumental outcomes, just like the mustard seed grows into a large bush.
God’s kingdom begins with small, often unseen actions but has the potential to flourish and bring profound transformation, just like Mary Ann’s efforts have done in East Africa. As Cardinal Henri de Lubac once said, “The kingdom of God is not a matter of great deeds, but of small ones, done with great love.”
May we, like Mary Ann, be inspired to sow the seeds of God’s kingdom through our daily actions, trusting in the potential for transformation and flourishing, no matter how small our efforts may seem. May we trust in the hidden and silent workings of God’s kingdom, just like the mustard seed trusts in the soil, and may our small actions bear fruit in profound ways.
Today and during the week, take one small action to sow a seed of God’s kingdom. You may write a kind note to your father, father figures, a friend or family member, offer to help a neighbor with a task or errand, pray for someone in need, share an inspiring story of faith with someone, and donate to a charity supporting a worthy cause.
As you take this small action, remember that God can use it to grow something magnificent beyond your expectations. Trust in His sovereign power to work through you, even in small ways, to bring about a harvest of righteousness and peace.
Take a moment to pray for your father, grandfather, and other father figures in your life; reflect on the power of small beginnings and the mysterious ways of God’s kingdom. May your small act of faith, kindness, and compassion be like the tiny mustard seed that grows into a mighty tree, bringing joy and blessing to all. Amen.
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