Sixth Sunday After Pentecost – Pastor Ellen Mills
I am offering you two ways to receive this. In print, you will need to read the scriptures for yourself, and then the prayer and reflection that follow in this post. If you click on the audio link below (below), you can hear all of it, including the scriptures
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray,
Almighty God, we thank you for planting in us the seed of your word. By your Holy Spirit help us to receive it with joy, live according to it, and grow in faith and hope and love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 55: 10-13
Psalm 65: 1-13
Romans 8: 1-11
Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23
“Listen! A sower went out to sow.” When Jesus used parables to challenge some of their stuck thinking, he used ordinary objects and situations. The people then were in the midst of agriculture even if they weren’t farmers. They knew where their food came from, and they saw it growing around them. And, like any farmer does today, I’m sure they knew about crop failure. And since there was no crop insurance in that day, they did the best they could to grow their crops. Seed was precious, and they tried to plant wisely. I wonder what they would have thought of this profligate farmer in Jesus’ parable. Just scattering the seed anywhere? Throwing some onto hard or rocky soil? Throwing some among the weeds? What was this farmer thinking? And then when the farmer did scatter the seed on the good soil, look what happened! It wasn’t just that it grew. It was the shocking amount. It is thought that farmers then could expect a yield somewhere in the range of 4 to 7 times what was planted. But 30? 60? Even 100 times? Really? Jesus said plenty to shock them, and so no wonder the disciples asked him for an explanation.
I have had plenty of chances to observe the scattering of grass seed, and how differently it can grow. When I was in seminary near the University of Chicago, I watched the Chicago street department attempt to grow grass under the shade trees. They tried in the fall, when it was cooler. So far, so good. They scattered plenty of seed. Okay. But they did not use straw. I don’t know if they came back later to water, but it wouldn’t have mattered, because the house sparrows had moved in. They saw a banquet fit for a king spread before them, and they ate every seed.
The more common attempt to grow grass has been going on in front of my eyes this summer. For over a year we have had utility work on the street in front of our apartment complex to prepare for the new hospital. Finally, this spring they seem to have declared it done, they leveled out the ground on the side of the road, added a bit of dirt, planted some grass seed, and put down straw. So, what could go wrong? They did it after our wet spring, and just as our usual summer dry spell began. Lots of straw, only a few shoots. You mean sprouting seeds need water?
And then there is the unintended growth: the volunteer shoots of cottonwood trees growing in the crack between the sidewalk and the parking lot, getting the most of any rainfall. You wouldn’t think a parking lot would be hospitable, but a windblown seed, a crack, and some rainfall will do just fine. Do you know how big cottonwoods can get?
So, back to Jesus’ interpretation. There appear to be obstacles to growth. Growth of plants, spiritual growth of followers of Jesus. When the word of God is planted in us, what happens? Does it pass by our ears, or do we draw it in, and ponder it? If it flourishes, can that growth be sustained? Does that excitement that starts when we deeply believe in the love and grace of God for us persist? If times get tough, do we still persist? And do we persist with just our own willpower, or do we ask God for help? Do we spend time with scripture and community to make sure that the seed is watered and nourished? And then the final stage. Does it bear fruit? The love and grace of God, so freely given to us are meant to transform our lives. If we are not changed by it, has the seed borne fruit? I don’t think any farmer would appreciate a field of wheat stubble rather than wheat grain. Wheat stubble will not grow more wheat. It has not fulfilled the farmer’s purpose.
Jesus seems to emphasize our understanding. Just hearing God’s word is not enough. Do we draw it in, ponder it, and allow ourselves to be transformed? And do we do that on a regular basis? Transformation is meant to be a lifelong process, and it is meant to bear visible fruit. And as a gardener, I want to ask: was the soil loosened around the plant, and was it watered and fertilized? Some of the best fertilizer is our own failures. Rather than being afraid to risk the uncertainty of growth and possible failure, grow boldly! And if things don’t work out perfectly, let go of the failures, and let them be fertilizer. We must develop the tenacity of those sprouts of cottonwood growing in a parking lot. Willingness to grow in our relationship with God will bring forth a yield of many times the seed planted in us. Amen.
Called into unity with one another and the whole creation, let us pray for our shared world.
Gracious God, your word has been sown in many ways and places. We pray for missionaries and newly planted congregations around the world. Inspire us by their witness to the faith we share. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Creating God, the mountains and hills burst into song and the trees and fields clap their hands in praise. We pray for the birds and animals who make their home in trees, and for lands stripped bare by deforestation. Empower us to sustainably use what you have given. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Reigning God, we pray for our nation’s leaders. Increase their desire for justice and equality. We pray for our enemies. Bridge the chasms that divide us and guide authorities to a deep and lasting peace. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Abiding God, we care for all who are in need. For those who are doubting, renew faith. For those who are worrying, provide release. For those who are struggling, ease burdens. For those in fear, give hope. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Renewing God, revive the church in this place. Nourish the seeds that you have planted, that we might grow as disciples. Replace what has been depleted. Sustain our ministries and deepen relationships with the wider community. Guide the council as they interview the candidate. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Eternal God, we give thanks for all who have died. Comfort us in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Receive these prayers, O God, and those too deep for words; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord bless and keep you.
The Lord’s face shine upon you with grace and mercy.
The Lord look upon you with favor, and give you peace.
Amen.