Yes we all go through personal sufferings and hardships in life. But how many of us have gone through or are even prepared to suffer for our faith? To endure persecution, taunts, beatings even having our belongings taken awaken away from us forcefully all for the sake of our belief in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?  Indeed many of us are blessed that we never have to face such trials or adversity.

Still can we not endure and overcome powerful urges to fall into temptation and sin for His namesake? Are we too thin skinned to endure a little rejection for sharing the joy of the Gospel with others? Can we not sacrifice a little for our family, ministry and community to lead and journey with them towards greater Holiness?

Let us strive to lead one another through the love of Christ into the Kingdom of God. Where Jesus Christ our Lord reigns as King and God our Father’s authority is above and over all.  For His Kingdom exists here and now in the lives and hearts of His redeemed, as well as in perfection and fullness in the future. Amen

First reading

Hebrews 10:32-39 ·

We are the sort who keep faithful

Remember all the sufferings that you had to meet after you received the light, in earlier days; sometimes by being yourselves publicly exposed to insults and violence, and sometimes as associates of others who were treated in the same way. For you not only shared in the sufferings of those who were in prison, but you happily accepted being stripped of your belongings, knowing that you owned something that was better and lasting. Be as confident now, then, since the reward is so great. You will need endurance to do God’s will and gain what he has promised.

Only a little while now, a very little while,

and the one that is coming will have come; he will not delay.

The righteous man will live by faith,

but if he draws back, my soul will take no pleasure in him.

You and I are not the sort of people who draw back, and are lost by it; we are the sort who keep faithful until our souls are saved.

Gospel

Mark 4:26-34

The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’

    He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’

    Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.