God chooses those we don’t think about to be sources of wisdom. God chooses people who we overlook to do what is right. God isn’t on “both sides” – God is on the side of right and of justice and reduces to nothing those who think they’re the greatest – even frightened puppet kings like Herod. Because, genuine Christians know that only God is great.
Let us pray for the courage of faith to be like the Mother of God, bearing Christ to one another and in our world.
It is both because of Mary’s place in God’s plan, and her courageous, humble and compassionate response, that we honor her, as the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer at today’s liturgy says so well … “as the beginning and image of God’s church coming to perfection, and sign of sure hope and comfort to God’s pilgrim people….”
In the first reading, God tells the prophet Habbakuk, you may not see it right away, but justice is coming! And in the Gospel, Jesus reminds his disciples and us that the faith we need to bring the vision to reality is miniscule – a tiny mustard seed. With one seed of faith, we can create a whole new landscape.
We live in a time where leaders and others act as if the word of God and the call of God don’t matter. The Scriptures remind us that God is always on the side of truth-tellers and on the side of those prophets who speak out for those in need, and who follow the path of justice.
