Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Glenn Paul Gomez SVD — Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City
Friday 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
Photo: Cathedral of Notre Dame du Congo, Kinshasa
How are diamonds formed and polished? Mined diamonds are formed naturally. Humans have mastered producing synthetic diamonds. It was introduced in the market as early as the 1970s. First, diamonds are formed under the conditions of intense heat and pressure that cause carbon atoms to crystallize. Second, this process of becoming a diamond usually takes between 1 billion and 3.3 billion years. Third, to look for diamonds, one has to go down to a depth of approximately 150-200 kilometers below the earth’s surface. No wonder diamonds are considered the most expensive gemstones.
Do you want to have the best diamond in the world? Best diamonds have 4 C’s, namely: color, clarity, carat, and cut. To attain the four C’s of the best diamond, human intervention is needed.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a man who scatters seed on the ground. “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” Mark 4, 26) Jesus asserts that the kingdom of God will grow naturally even without human mediation.
But God invites the zenith of his creation – we, human beings – to participate in the building up of God’s kingdom here on earth. Jesus, in fact, sent his apostles and disciples to the whole world to proclaim that the kingdom of God is at hand (cf. Mt. 3:2) and prayed to the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers (cf. Mt. 9:38).
We remembered last 2021, how exactly 500 years ago, the good news of the kingdom of God arrived here in the Philippines. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the celebration was postponed. Year 2022 was the actual celebration; let’s celebrate the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines!
Thank you, Lord! Praise you, Lord! Use us, Jesus, as your instruments to go to the whole world and share the good news of your kingdom.
One comment