A homily for the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
This is something I did a few gardening seasons ago. I’m going to do it again. This year is to plant tomatoes and plant potatoes. But what I did and what I want to do this year is after the tomatoes have sprouted and the potatoes have sprouted. To cut the tomato and graft it on to the potato where the potato is growing. And what you happens is because of the same family, the potato gives extra nourishment, extra water, extra everything that the tomato plant and it will produce, like double the number of tomatoes. And at the end of the season it will produce. You have potatoes also. And so it really is a fun exercise. Im going to do it again this year. And I’ll keep you abreast of how this function happens. So first I’ll plant some tomato seed.
And now I’ll plant some potatoes. I’m cutting them in half a because one is just too big. And they should be sprouting shortly during the season of lent they’ll be growing. And when they’re about 3 or 4in tall, then I will cut the tomato grafted onto the potato and we’ll see what happens.
In today’s gospel, Jesus says no one gathers figs from thistles. No one gathers grapes from brambles. Yes. But I think if we are hard hearted people that we can be graft ourselves onto Jesus, we will produce a great harvest. That’s, I think, the call of today’s gospel is by ourselves, we can do little but with Jesus, with grace, with God. We can do a lot. Saint Teresa of Avila says, never cease to believe that even in this life, God provides the hundredfold.
That’s the call here for this season of lent to provide the hundredfold and to represent being grafted to Jesus. At the masses this weekend I’m going to give out scapulars. Wear it for the 40 days day and night. Just wear it to show that you are connected to Jesus. His grace, the protection of his mother, that you are connected.
And see how this season of lent comes up. So in Sunday Masses, until they run out. I’m giving scapulars, but wear it. Even in this life, God provides the 100 fold.
