Readings for Proper 6B:
Ezekiel 31:1-14; Psalm 92; Mark 4:26-34
June 18, 2006
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA
“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God.” [Ps. 92]
What I would like to talk about today is growing in faith and love so that we eventually become a people who are willing to proclaim God’s truth with boldness and be about the business of justice and compassion in world that is in great need. These are our marching orders from today’s opening collect: “Keep O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness and minister your justice with compassion.” [BCP 230] What a wonderful prayer with which to begin our service and to focus our attention on what really matters in life! What a wonderful prayer to pray during our National Convention which is now in session; a convention where people of differing theologies are trying to discern the essentials of the Anglican tradition!
In the biblical readings today, the images of trees, shrubs, grain, and growth are used to describe the Kingdom of God. In our first reading, the prophet Ezekiel compares the great empire of Assyria with a large cedar tree, adorned with fair branches, forest shade, and great height. As I read this metaphor, I think of the great Cedar Deodora tree that used to be in front of our church, reaching to the sky and shading us from the powerful rays of the sun. But as we all know, great empires (like great trees) eventually die and fall. And in the case of worldly empires, it is usually because they become too proud, self-serving, and oppressive with military power. This is what happened to the Assyrian Empire at the end of the 7th century B.C.E.. This mighty nation was cut down, branch by branch, until all that was left was a fallen trunk, scrap wood, on which the birds of the air and the wild animals settled. Might this prophetic Word of God (spoken some 2600 years ago) have some relevance for our nation today?
In psalm 92, the psalmist compares the life of a righteous person with the flourishing of a palm tree. Those who plant themselves in God’s kingdom will bear much fruit during their lives and “they shall be green and succulent.”
Finally, in the gospel of Mark, we hear two parables about growth and the Kingdom of God. First, a few words about the nature of parables. A parable is a comparison, an extended metaphor used in biblical times as a teaching tool. Parables are in the form of a brief story and were used by Jesus to teach his disciples about the Kingdom of God. Four things about parables before we dive into today’s gospel: 1) Not everyone understood the parables of Jesus. In fact, his own disciples didn’t understand them and needed further explanation. 2) Learning from parables requires a great deal from the listener. It requires attentiveness, insight, and a willingness to grow. 3) Those who are able to hear and understand the parables are not necessarily those of special intelligence. Those who hear and understand are those who are rooted in Christ. 4) Because parables are metaphors, there can be multiple interpretations.
The first parable involves a sower (or a farmer) who goes out and scatters seeds on the ground. Day and night he goes out to see how the seeds are coming along, but he is unable to see the slow growth with his eyes. Then finally (the actual moment being imperceptible to the human eye), the seed begins to sprout and break through the soil: first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain ready for harvest. And while the farmer nurtures the soil over time, it is God’s life giving nature which actually makes the grain grow. When I read this parable, I liken it to the spiritual journey towards wholeness and our sometimes inability to notice the progress as we inch toward the kingdom. Spiritual maturity takes time, patience, and fortitude. When the conditions are right, God’s grace will flourish within us, until we eventually grow into the full stature of Christ. Our job is to sow the seeds of goodness, compassion, generosity, and justice, to nurture our inner soil with God’s word, and then wait faithfully for God to transform us. Do not be discouraged and do not give up! Growth can be slow.
The same is true when it comes to working for world peace. Our job is to sow the seeds that make for peace and to provide a soil so that the seeds of peace can take root. This world is so complex and people are so wounded. Peace will not come easily or quickly but that does not mean that we should ever stop our efforts. We must never desert our neighbors in this broken world of ours but must hold onto a vision of hope: that with God, world peace is possible, especially when we allow God’s love to be poured into our hearts and sow the seeds of peace from that place of love.
The second parable challenges our notion about “size.” In a world that is obsessed about bigger, better, faster, and more, today’s gospel turns our conventional wisdom up-side-down. In God’s kingdom, small is highly valued. The Kingdom of God “is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground is the smallest of seeds...yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” [Mark 4] Sometimes, it is the small, quiet voices, the unnoticed people, working in the background, little by little, that can make the greatest contributions in bringing forth the Kingdom of God. And sometimes it is the successful, rich and powerful CEOs who fall, bringing shame and destruction in their path.
Since today is Father’s Day, I would like to interpret this parable in light of child raising practices. Most parents want the best for their children. So they try to offer them many opportunities to grow and become successful. Parents fill up their children’s days with studies, music lessons, Boy Scout meetings, soccer games, special tutoring, and lots of stuff in hopes that their children will become well rounded, well equipped, and successful. We are proud when they make the honor roll, score goals, and perform in the band. But how much effort is spent in developing their character, giving them quiet time to experience the sacred, providing opportunities to share what they have with the needy, and allowing them to face the consequence of their actions so that they can grow into full maturity? Bigger, better, faster, and more are not values of the Kingdom. How about instead of focusing on their success, we focus on their faithfulness? Let me give you an example in my own life.
[Personal story is told here.]
So here we are, beginning the “green season” of the church’s year. Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter Season have all past. We are now entering into “ordinary time” according to the liturgical calendar. But “ordinary time” is not the time to go on a “spiritual break.” The world needs us to mature so that we can proclaim the truth with boldness and strive for justice and peace. We need to prepare ourselves for the task ahead. The “green season” is a time for planting, growing, and harvesting. It is a time for allowing God’s Word to take root and grow within. It is a time to continue to attend church each Sunday, allowing the prayers, music, the Holy Communion, and the community to wash over us with grace. Spend time in silence and allow the parables of Jesus to change you. Do not be conformed to this world but seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all things that are necessary for true life will be given to you.
| Updated 6/19/06 |
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