Gospel Reflection - 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time


Many of us have family members who have left the Church, whether it be our children, grandchildren, siblings, etc. We may feel helpless in our attempts to encourage their return. We wonder why they’ve turned away from God and worry about their eternal salvation, wondering where we went wrong.

In most cases, it's not something we’ve done that pushed them away.  Getting angry and talking until we're blue in the face will do nothing to win them back to the Church.  We can only lead by example in loving them and praying for their return.  We plant seeds that we hope and pray will take root in their hearts, drawing them back to God's loving embrace. 


How?  Share stories of how God has worked in our lives.  Perform small acts of kindness for them.  Be cautious of our speech and actions.  Let them see us take part in spiritual activities and invite them to join us (prayer, Bible study, going to Mass).  These are just a few of the seeds we can plant. 


Just as we cannot see the mustard seed beneath the earth or know how it is growing, we will not see the immediate results of the seeds we’re planting, but we can trust that God hears our prayers.  He loves them infinitely more than we do and has more fruitful plans for them beyond our imagination. 


What other seeds can be planted to draw our loved ones back to the Faith?


If you turned away at some point in your life, what helped your return to the Church?


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