Scripture Study for
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 17:22–24 / Psalm 92:2a / 2 Corinthians 5:6–10 / Mark 4:26–34
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Understanding the Word
By Dianne Bergant, C.S.A.
Ezekiel pronounces an oracle of salvation employing a fable about a cedar tree. The tender shoot is destined to be planted on the heights of Israel, the very place from which the Davidic dynasty ruled. The words of the Lord describe a reversal performed by God. The twig that was once insignificant and vulnerable will be exalted on a high and lofty mountain. The messianic character of this image is obvious. The divine force of these prophetic words is underscored in the very last verse: The Lord has spoken it, and it is done. The transformation of the tender shoot is but another wonder performed by the sovereign Lord.
Paul instructs the Corinthians on how to live in a time when, though committed to the Lord, they do not see the Lord face to face. This sermon draws a clear distinction between this life and the next. It emphasizes the need to live by faith now, because we cannot live by sight alone. During this life believers are at home in the body, but away from the Lord. In the next life, they will be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Paul ends his exhortation with a sobering thought. At the end of this life, all will stand before Christ to be judged according to whether or not they did in fact live lives of faith after his example.
Jesus’ first saying characterizes the reign of God as a seed that takes root, grows, and produces its plant in some secret place within the earth. The seed itself may be quite inconsequential, but deep within itself it possesses great potential. The amazing qualities of a seed are the focus of the parable that follows. The passage ends with a summary statement about Jesus’ teaching in parables. They forced his hearers to stretch their imaginations and to make connections that they might not ordinarily make. The presumption was that those who followed Jesus were always willing or able to do this.