“Have you ever wondered where God was when bad things happened? I have. When, and if, I get to heaven, I have a few questions for God: Where were you when my high school sweetheart was killed in a car accident? What were you doing during the mass shootings at Columbine High School, Sandy Hook Elementary School, or Robb Elementary School? Why did you allow the earth quake in Venezuela and the flood in Nepal? Where were you, God, on September 11, 2001?”

Search me? Are there times when you cannot see what lies ahead?  This is the case for me. I have concerns about the church’s future. I am unclear about what I will do when I retire. I  have no clue about what lies ahead for my children. Do you have doubts about whether you are doing God’s will?  The author of Psalm 139 had doubts. The Psalmist said, “search me.” 

Jesus taught in parables.  There were times when Jesus used parables to obscure his meaning from adversaries, but mostly Jesus used parable to ensure everyone listening (believers and skeptics, educated and unlettered, Jew and Gentile, male and female, young and old) understood what he said.  The parable in today’s Gospel (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) uses  gardening or farming as a metaphor for how people respond to God.  

The psalmist proclaims, 

“I love the Lord.  I love the Lord because he heard my prayer.” (Psalm 116:1)  

Jesus got mixed responses in his day. Some people sought healing from him, wanted to learn from him, and believed he was sent and empowered by God.

“The Spirit of God empowers, guides, and inspires. The occurrence we heard described in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1-21) is not limited to biblical times, or a legendary story like that about Joan of Arc, or a fantasy movie produced by the Disney corporation. The Spirit is continuously present and active. The Spirit is in us, moving through us, and all around us.  We are able to see, hear, and feel the Spirit when we are attentive. We are able to recognize and use its power when we manage our fears and doubts.”