Witness to the harvest of good works

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In the Andes of Peru a farmer waits for the rainy season to soften the soil that has been baked hard by nine months of scorching sun. Then he prepares it, fertilizes it and finally plants the corn seeds. Now all he can do is wait. He has done all he can. He can't put life into the seeds but he knows that they have the life that God has put into each seed. He waits until the happy day when he sees the first green shoots appearing. He weeds and waters. He does his part and knows that God is doing his part as the plants grow until they are ready to be harvested. Jesus tells us in Mark 4:26-34 that that is what the kingdom of God is like. He has does his part by giving us life, a world and a family where we are given every opportunity to respond to all he has done.

 

But we are given a great warning in todays first reading from 2 Samuel11, where we hear the story of David, a man who has been specially chosen by God and annointed to be his king. He has received so many blessings but he forgets all that God has given him as he is overcome by lust. He commits adultery and murder to satisfy his own desires. The readings show us a powerful man who was blinded by his own power and a humble farmer who trusted in the power of God. If we are able to plant some seeds, let us do so to see the miracle of the life that God has placed in them slowly developing. As we cooperate with the life he has given us we will see the Kingdom of God growing in us. May we rejoice as we see the the harvest of the good works that bring joy to ourselves and others.