Bible Study Guide

11th Sunday in the Ordinary Time

June 17, 2012

1st Reading: Ezekiel 17: 22-24

Tender shoot• 22 Thus says the Lord GOD: I, too, will take from the crest of

the cedar, from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot, and plant it on a high and lofty mountain; 23 on the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it. It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it, every winged thing in the shade of its boughs.

God to be known• 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD,

bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom. As I, the LORD, have spoken, so will I do.

The focus is on knowing God.

1st Reading: Ezekiel 17: 22-24Tender shoot• 22 Thus says the Lord GOD: I, too,

will take from the crest of the cedar, from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot, and plant it on a high and lofty mountain; 23 on the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it. It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it, every winged thing in the shade of its boughs.

God to be known• 24 And all the trees of the field shall

know that I, the LORD, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom. As I, the LORD, have spoken, so will I do.

Commentary• Background: The prophet

prophesied in Babylonian Exile (586-539 BC).

• In v.22, God promises to plant a tender shoot of a cedar tree on a mountain of Israel.

• In v.23, God promises that this tender shoot will be useful:– Will bear fruit– Will become great– Birds will make their nest in it.

• V.24 gives the reason why he is doing this:– That the Lord who is in charge will

be known.

Reflections on the 1st reading

• God is giving us hope.• He carefully plans for us.• We will certainly benefit from his

plan.• He is in-charge of our future.• We bank on his promise that what he

has planted will soon come to fruition.

Resp. Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16• R. (cf. 2a) Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

2 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,to sing praise to your name, Most High,3 To proclaim your kindness at dawnand your faithfulness throughout the night.

• 13 Like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow.14 They that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

• 15 They shall bear fruit even in old age;vigorous and sturdy shall they be,16 Declaring how just is the LORD,my rock, in whom there is no wrong.

Resp. Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16• R. (cf. 2a) Lord, it is good to

give thanks to you.

• 2 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praise to your name, Most High,3 To proclaim your kindness at dawn and your faithfulness throughout the night.

• 13 Like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow.14 They that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

• 15 They shall bear fruit even in old age; vigorous and sturdy shall they be,16 Declaring how just is the LORD, my rock, in whom there is no wrong.

Commentary• The psalm is a thanksgiving

psalm.• V.2 expresses thanksgiving in 3

different ways:– To give thanks– To sing praise– To proclaim

• In vv.13-14, God makes the people, who fear God, grow strong and flourish.

• Vv.15-16 indicate also what happens to them:– Productive even in old age– Vigorous and sturdy– They affirm God’s justice and

righteousness.

Reflections on the Psalm

• Like the psalmist, we must praise God.

• It is always a right thing to do.• Those who praise God and fear him

bear much fruit, are not easily shaken, and continue to be productive.

• Are you useful even in old age?

2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10

• 6 We are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. 9 Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.

The focus is walking by faith.

2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10

Walking by faith• 6 We are always courageous, although we know that

while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. 9 Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away.

Retribution• 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of

Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.

2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10

Walking by faith• 6 We are always courageous,

although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. 9 Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away.

Retribution• 10 For we must all appear

before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.

Commentary• St. Paul, the author, defends himself

and his fellow missionaries from false accusations: being insincere.

• In vv.6-7, Paul shares where their courage is coming from: they walk with faith.

• V.8 speaks of their courage which is translated into abandonment of the worldly values (flesh) and espousing heaven.

• V.9 speaks of their goal: to please God everywhere.

• V.10 speaks of the last judgment, when each one receives his/her reward or punishment.

Reflections of the 2nd reading

• We draw courage from faith.• We are not afraid to decide for God, when we

walk with (by) faith.• We should rather be afraid to meet the end,

in the time of retribution.• God rewards the good; he punishes evil doers.• Discover the meaning of what is pleasing to

God.

Gospel Reading: Mark 4:26-341st Parable: Sowing of Seeds• 26 Jesus said to the crowds, "This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as

if a man were to scatter seed on the land 27 and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.“

2nd Parable: Mustard Seed • 30 He said, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable

can we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. 32 But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.“

Narrator’s Commentary (author)• 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to

understand it. 34 Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

Gospel Reading: Mark 4:26-34

1st Parable: Sowing of Seeds• 26 Jesus said to the crowds, "This is how it

is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land 27 and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.“

2nd Parable: Mustard Seed • 30 He said, "To what shall we compare the

kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. 32 But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.“

Commentary• Actually, our two parables come after the

parables of the sower and of the lamp. They are the 3rd and 4th in the series of parables in Mk 4.

• The two parables tell us how the kingdom of God looks like.

• It is not a finished product, but a long process of growth and development.

• Therefore, they must develop patience.• The 1st parable ends with a harvest

(judgment). V.29• The 2nd parable describes the humble

beginning of God’s kingdom and its great end.

• The kingdom of God brings hope (food, 1st parable, and relief, 2nd parable).

Gospel Reading: Mark 4:26-34

Narrator’s Commentary (author)

• 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. 34 Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

• V.33 tells us that Jesus (as a rabbi) taught to his disciples by using parables, which can be understood by them.

• Those parables were based on their own observation or experience. They were not imported stories or foreign concepts.

• V.34 tells us that Jesus explained the kingdom of God to his disciples with the use of parables.

Reflections on the Gospel Reading

• To explain God’s kingdom (mysteries), we need to To explain God’s kingdom (mysteries), we need to employ stories understandable to our listeners.employ stories understandable to our listeners.

• We should use local images, or something We should use local images, or something imaginable by our audience, to develop the virtue imaginable by our audience, to develop the virtue of patience.of patience.

• How can we be patient to people whom we would How can we be patient to people whom we would like to change?like to change?

• Without patience, we cannot teach God’s Without patience, we cannot teach God’s kingdom.kingdom.

• Patience pays back.Patience pays back.

Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm

• The first reading talks about the tender shoot becoming big and great and useful.

• The psalm talks about praising God for his great works, for it is the right thing to do.

• The second reading talks about the purpose of our lives: to please God.

• The gospel talks about God’s kingdom, its humble beginning and great end.

We must develop patience.

How to develop your sharing

• Do you have patience?• Is there a short cut to success?• Do you know how to wait, even if it

takes so long?

• The parables of the gospel teach us about the kingdom of God.

• In the process of its growth, they teach us patience, like the farmers and missionaries.

• If we are involved in God’s work (kingdom of God), we must have patience.

• We don’t violate nature when we have patience.

• Alas, patience is not in the world’s agenda, especially nowadays when we want instant food, quick decisions, and delivery of services.

• It wants to hasten the growth of plants through fertilizers.

• It wants to harvest chicken within a shorter period of time, by feeding what is unnatural to them.

• Hi technology has conditioned our hearts and minds for quick results.

• It is all for the sake of more money.

• When we deal with God’s kingdom, it is all different.

• The missionary or, church worker, should not lose heart when his or her efforts are not rewarded right away, when he/she does not feel the change or effect of his/her sacrifices.

• We cannot dictate when people should change.

• The parables tell us that we should not be discouraged if nothing seems to happen inspite of all the ongoing formations, meetings, workshops, seminars, practices, etc.

• We should continue sowing the seeds.• The little things that we do will bear fruit.• We may not see that happening in our

lifetime.

• But the gospel is clear about the end.• The slow will move fast, produce many.

(sowing of the seed, gospel)

• The small will become big. (mustard seed, gospel)

• The seemingly insignificant (frail) will become significant (strong). (tender shoot becoming a majestic cedar, 1st reading)

• There is judgment for those who can’t wait yet can’t produce. (2nd reading)

• In our churches, how many of us have In our churches, how many of us have patience for God’s interests?patience for God’s interests?– Those who don’t easily give up.Those who don’t easily give up.– Those who continue working, teaching, Those who continue working, teaching,

sacrificing, convincing, cajoling, etc.sacrificing, convincing, cajoling, etc.

• We easily give up on the slow learners.We easily give up on the slow learners.• We become impatient with those who We become impatient with those who

have impaired hearing or sight.have impaired hearing or sight.• We talk against those who come late.We talk against those who come late.

• Of course, we should not tolerate undue or unnecessary delays due to playfulness, negligence, low self-confidence (it is expensive), like a student who wants to take 4 courses only in a semester when he can take 6 or 7.

• We do not condone sluggishness, which leads us to nowhere.

• We, missionaries and lay faithful, must show we have hope.

• The Eucharist is a sign of God’s patience and love for us.

• The Eucharist gives us courage to wait and to be patient.

• In the Eucharist, we await with patience the coming of the Lord, who will reward us according to our deeds.

Our Context of Our Context of SinSin and and GraceGrace

• Impatience• Instant

success• Instant money• Belittling little

things• Bullying

• Patience

• Endurance

• Hopeful

• Can wait

• Productive

• Respects human nature

• Understands how God’s grace works