Rev. Christine Dudley

Let us pause for a moment as we give thanks to God, in prayer...

Gracious God, in mysterious and wondrous ways
you are present and active in our lives. Remind us
that whenever two or three are gathered in your name
you are present, gently touching our souls with
the light of your love and the comfort of your peace.
Plant in us the seeds of faith and hope
and nurture in us patience and persistence
as we grow in your way of love and justice.
For the gift of life, and so much more,
we give you thanks, O God. Amen

Seeds and growth, mystery and surprise, hidden potential and reversal of the understanding of the natural order of things...These themes, and much more, are the grist for the stories that Jesus told his followers in order to illustrate the presence and power of God in their midst. The stories he told proclaimed what he called the Kingdom of God. In our day, we often use the words, Commonwealth, Realm, or Reign of God but the meaning is the same.

Jesus' people lived under the domination of the Roman Empire. It is sometimes difficult for us to keep this in mind and to understand, but in this system Caesar was not only the Ruler of the Empire but also believed himself to be Lord and God. For anyone to deny or say otherwise was an act of treason punishable by death. In spite of this, Jesus took every opportunity to tell people it was God that was really in charge, not Caesar; that the earth was God's kingdom, not Caesar's. He did this primarily by telling parables — short pithy stories that used concrete examples from everyday life to which ordinary people could relate. Jesus' parables always contained surprising or shocking twists that might not at first be obvious but upon further reflection revealed a deeper meaning. One commentary I read this week explained that, In using parables, Jesus seeks to stimulate his audience's imagination so that they might perceive the power and presence of God in a new and immediate way. (Feasting on the Word, Year B, Volume 3, page 141) The Roman authorities did not understand the subversive nature of Jesus? parables and at first brushed him off as a harmless storyteller. His followers, however, recognized him as a teacher of uncommon wisdom and a purveyor of hope and liberation.

Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God was all around but most people did not recognize it. God's kingdom, he said, is like a mustard seed that is so small that most wouldn't give much thought to its potential. A mustard seed looks like it is dead but when it's planted it grows into the greatest of all shrubs. And, not only that, God's kingdom is breaking through all over the place and people are unaware of the growth beneath the surface just like the seed which is scattered and sprouts while the planter is sleeping.

These were, and are, powerful and subversive symbols for people who are oppressed. God's kingdom is both here and not yet fully realized; it takes an openness of heart and persistent faith to see the long view and to know that God's harvest, God's justice, will come one day. "Be aware and take heart," Jesus tells them, "God works in mysterious ways and the unexpected can, and will, happen in God's good time."

I think, if Jesus had been in my neighbourhood, in my yard, this week he might have told the Parable of the Cottonwood Seed. It might have gone something like this:

With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a cottonwood seed, the smallest and lightest of seeds, which is carried on the breath of the wind and floats without effort to the place where it will become established and flourish. And, though tiny as a seed, the cottonwood grows and becomes the greatest of trees, giving shade to the weary and a home for the birds of the air.

It may seem a stretch, especially for those of us with allergies who suffer when the cottonwoods are in seed, to see this phenomenon as a sign of the Kingdom of God. But, no more a stretch than for mustard seeds which grow into persistent and noxious weeds which take over wherever they plant themselves. Jesus wanted to get the point across — expect the unexpected and be prepared to be resilient and persistent in your faith because God's realm is breaking through all over the place. God works through the ordinary and mundane, God works through ordinary people like you and me. Seeds of faith and hope are planted, in our lives, in ways that we may not even be aware of. Our faith can help us to have an inner resilience in the face of adversity and challenge. We draw on the strength of our belief in God's steadfast and unwavering presence.

The biblical commentary, Feasting on the Word, says, Like the mustard seed, the followers of Jesus are a bunch of ragged folk, full of doubts, full of fears, unable to comprehend much of what Jesus says or does. The reign of God bursting into history rests on these kinds of folks? Jesus emphasizes, "Yes, this is the scruffy seed from which the reign of god will be proclaimed. ...the seed is an important image...It is an enduring symbol of life growing out of what seems not only small but dead." (Feasting on the Word, Year B, Volume 3, pages 143 and 145)

In the church we not only look for signs of the inbreaking of God's commonwealth but we also participate in its realization through our words and actions. Last Sunday, David mentioned that a colleague made the comment that there was a "bumper crop" of new United Church ministers commissioned, ordained, recognized and transferred from other denominations at the recent BC Conference general meeting. At that gathering, fourteen keen enthusiastic men and women were blessed and affirmed in their call to ministry. I was honoured to participate in the laying on of hands for Keith Simmonds, a member of our Kootenay Presbytery, during his commissioning as a diaconal minister. Over the years, as Keith's diaconal mentor, I've been aware that I have been one of many people who have nurtured the seeds of Keith's faith. I am also aware that these seeds of faith were actually planted by God and took root many years ago in formative ways in Keith's childhood and church experiences.

My own call to ministry came very much as a shock to me but interestingly did not seem surprising to others in my home congregation. When I told people that I was discerning whether or not I had a call to ministry the response I often received was, "I'm not surprised" or "It's about time". Over the years, I have come to realize that in a community of faith we participate intimately in the nurturing of each other's faith and often we can see the potential for ministry in others where they may not be able to see it themselves. The role and need for mentoring, in our faith tradition, is immeasurable and the call to nurture seeds of faith wherever we can is an important part of the cultivation of God?s realm in our world.

When I was reflecting on the scripture passages this week, I was feeling tired and taking a break when, on a whim, I picked up my Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms and looked under "s" for seed. I wasn't actually expecting to find any reference but to my surprise, listed under "seed of faith" was this explanation, The initial beginning of faith in a person by the work of the Holy Spirit... (page 253)

A few years ago I heard a lecture given by Nancy Reeves, who is a psychologist and a devout Anglican lay person. She said there are two differing models of nurturing children's faith. One way is to think of ourselves as "Architects of children's faith", the designers and builders; and the other way is to be "Gardeners of children's faith", planting and nurturing the seeds of faith all the while knowing that the real work of faith belongs to the Holy Spirit. This second way, of encouraging and nurturing faith, is the way I believe our community of faith is called to act, not just with children but with all people.

We, as a church, have much to offer with our theology of hope, in the face of adversity; persistent commitment to working for peace and justice; dedication to inclusivity and community; celebration of God's presence in all of creation; and respect for the diversity of religious traditions and practices. In the fertile soil of our lives we can sow seeds of love, faith, hope, reconciliation, peace, compassion...which can have a positive effect on others in our community and in our world.

I am encouraged by words of advice and hope from the late Archbishop Romero, of El Salvador, which I will leave with you to ponder:

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view...

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God?s work.
Nothing we do is complete...

No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No program accomplishes the church?s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water the seeds already planted,

knowing that they hold future promise...

We cannot do everything,
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning,
a step along the way, an opportunity for...
[God's] grace to enter and do the rest.