Sometimes, even a light dusting of snow can make us look around and see things in a new way. For example, the trunk of an oak remains, even when its leaves have fallen and even when an inch or two of snow graces its branches. Winter reminds us that hope will blossom in its time; but it insists on the human factor too: the condition of the soil, dealing with the thorns, rocks and obstacles to growth. We are not to wait passively and do nothing, simply waiting for God to bring all to fulfillment.
While life is often beyond our control and we eventually realize that we must leave all in the hands of God, still we are expected to be faithful through difficult times. Salvation is the interaction of God’s mysterious grace and our cooperation. We are asked to do our best to achieve what is humanly possible, and then in the end we can say, like St. Paul, “I planted the seed and others watered it, God made it grow.” (1 Cor 3,6)
For some perspective: Jesus and His disciples met many difficulties and obstacles. The religious leaders accused them of breaking the Sabbath; they even have claimed that Jesus healed by the power of Satan. Jesus’ own relatives wanted to confine Him to the house because they feared He had lost His mind. That was the context for Jesus talking about the farmer sowing his seed in the field (Mark 4,1-20). The Galilean farmer had all kinds of obstacles to deal with, including the many of the seeds he sowed which never took root, or never reached maturity. Yet, in spite of all obstacles and setbacks, the harvest turned out to be great, and that was due in part to the great generosity of the sower.
The Good News reminder today: “Look beyond the obstacles, the set-backs, the disappointments; God is at work among us and the harvest will be great in the end.” We can all become absorbed by what is not going well, by the failures, or the losses all around us. God encourages us to keep hopeful in the midst of loss and failure, because the He is always at work in a life-giving way – even when hardship and trial seem to dominate the landscape.
Let us pray. “Lord, we are your humble servants. We come before you today in need of hope. We need hope for a calm and joyful future, for love and kindness, and for peace and safety. Please give us your light, Lord, in every way. May we be filled with your light so that we might walk in your Way, in faith and service. In your name we pray, Amen.”
