“The kingdom of God is like the mustard seed . . . . . . . . . the smallest of all seeds . . . . . . . which springs up and becomes the largest of plants . . .”
The idea that God can take something seemingly insignificant and bring forth something remarkable, something important, something unexpected is a beautiful thought. Even so, most of us have a hard time believing that we can make a significant difference in this life and in this world.
I know that at times I wonder what impact I can possibly have on others, and whether I will leave this earth failing to accomplish much of anything in the eyes of God. This verse from Sacred Scripture helps me realize that God can use anything and everything for His purposes, and to help build up His kingdom. And that even means me - even if it’s not always that easy for me to see or believe at times.
Each of us has a part to play in the drama of life that is unfolding - a vital part. And if you can’t figure out how that is possible, don’t worry - God has it figured out. He will use us as He sees fit, provided we are open to that possibility. You see, being “small” is not an obstacle to God. In faith we believe that He can always bring something wonderful out of something less - even life from death, the greatest and most perfect example of this deep truth. What could be more comforting or incredible than that?
But what if it is more that that? What if God is able to accomplish great things through us not despite our smallness . . . but rather, because of it? In other words, what if “being small” is a kind of spiritual prerequisite for the kingdom of God being able to grow within us, and consequently, being able to grow throughout everything we encounter in this life?
What if we have to be small like a mustard seed before we can grow into the beautiful person God created us to be? What if we have to be small in order for God to use us to do His work?
If that is true, then what does that look like? What does that mean for each of us today?
This coming Thursday, the Catholic Church in the United States is beginning an initiative called ‘Fortnight for Freedom’, two weeks of intense prayer to let religious freedom in this country continue to be one of the pillars of our nation. The fortnight continues through Independence Day.
Unfortunately, our government leaders are choosing to redefine religious liberty as only the freedom to worship as we choose. They have narrowed ‘freedom of religion’ into ‘freedom to worship’. They are enacting laws that will prevent us from following our conscience and actually living our religious beliefs outside of the church or outside of our homes. This goes against our Constitution; this goes against the very principles our founding fathers sacrificed so much for.
As many of you already know, the Health and Human Services Mandate will require all employer-provided health care plans to cover, without deductibles or co-pays, all government – approved forms of birth control. While an exemption was granted for “religious organizations” the term ‘religious organizations’ is so narrowly defined as to exclude Catholic institutions such as Catholic hospitals, Catholic schools and universities, and Catholic social service agencies, because , they serve those who are Catholic and those who are not Catholic, and they employ those who are Catholic, and those who are not Catholic. And so the government claims therefore that they are not ‘religious organizations’, because we include everyone.
In order to be allowed to practice what we feel is morally acceptable, what we believe is in fact the teachings of our Lord, we will be forced to ask those coming to our soup kitchens for a meal if they are Catholic, or those coming to our hospitals for medical attention if they are Catholic, or those who want to attend a Catholic college or university if they are Catholic, and if they are not, to have to turn them away. Otherwise, we would not be deemed a Catholic institution under the new definition established by our government.
One can also go to the website ‘fortnight4freedom.org’ for more information. But, the bottom line is that God is calling each and every one of us, as small as we are individually, especially when put up against our government, to join together and both fervently pray, and speak up for our religious liberties.
Forty-three Catholic organizations have filed suit against our government to get this measure overturned, and to restore our religious liberties. Contrary to what some are saying, this is not about birth control. This is about our government telling us what we can and cannot believe.
And, it is not just about the Catholic church. If the government succeeds in this endeavor, every religion is fair game for the government to step in and dictate what can and cannot be practiced or believed.
The church believes in the power of prayer, obviously, but it also believes in the ‘energy of intention’. That is the essential message of many holy people throughout history, especially St. Therese of Lisieux, and Mother Teresa, who once wrote: “We can do no great things; only small things with love.” Even the simple things we do, like chores around the house – taking out the trash or cleaning our room, mundane tasks that fill our schedules – driving the kids to practice or preparing the evening meal, everything we do can all be transformed by our intention. If we do what we do with love in our heart, then it will be love that will be spread by everything we do.
May we be strengthened as a people of faith to go forth, as small and insignificant as we might be, and in praying throughout this Fortnight for Freedom, make an enormous difference in the world in which we live by giving witness through all that we say and do to God’s Kingdom of true and lasting peace.
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