The Nativity of Mary

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Celtic Benediction, fidelity, Jesus, John Philip Newell, Mary Mother of God, seed, souls, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, womb

Today, with no historical basis but with the approbation of the Church and of Christians around the world, we celebrate the birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the courageous young woman who brought Jesus into the world. On this day we pray especially for pregnant women and those who are unable to carry a child. We pray additionally in thanks for Mary, faithful mother and model of fidelity to God

John Philip Newell offers a prayer on this day when the earth is turning to autumn and new hope may be planted as a seed in our souls. Can you feel it?

I have tasted the fruit of the earth, O God. I have seen the autumn trees hang heavily with heaven’s gifts. I have known people pregnant with your spirit of generosity. Let these be guides to me this day. And may Mary who knew her womb filled with your goodness teach me the wisdom that is born amidst pain. May I know that deeper than any fallowness in me is the seed planted in the womb of my soul. May I know that greater than any barrenness in the world is the harvest to be justly shared. (Celtic Benediction, p. 29)

Seeds for the Future

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Ancient Songs Sung Anew, future, harvest, psalm 126, reap, seed, sow, suffering, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

A commentary on today’s lectionary psalm (126) suggests that it was written to express “the joyous return of the Hebrew people from exile in the East.” In the meditation that followed that commentary, there was a striking paragraph that seemed better than anything I could offer this morning so I repeat it here for your consideration.

In this Psalm the earthly experience is seen as a seed-bed for the ultimate harvest. We sow now, we shall reap later. The ultimate question is, what are we sowing? If tears are the precious seeds of the future, what does that teach us about suffering? (Ancient Songs Sung Anew, p. 327)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proclaim it

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flower, greatness, Kathleen Deignan, mercy of God, proclaim, seed, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton, wheat

“There is not a flower that opens, not a seed that falls into the ground, and not an ear of wheat that nods on the end of its stalk in the wind that does not preach and proclaim the greatness and mercy of God to the whole world.

“There is not an act of kindness or generosity, not an act of sacrifice done, or a word of peace and gentleness spoken, not a child’s prayer uttered, that does not sing hymns to God.”

~ Thomas Merton
(from Thomas Merton’s Book of Hours by Kathleen Deignan)

Growing the Kingdom

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attentiveness, consciousness, delicate balance, God, groundwork, growth, Jesus, letting go, Mark, master gardener, mustard seed, seed, spiritual growth, spiritual practice, surrender, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

The question Jesus asks today: To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God? (MK 4:26-34) which he answers with the mustard seed growing into the “largest of plants” is very familiar. He has already spoken at the beginning of the passage about the growth of grain, observable in very clear stages. I always substitute corn for grain because I see it everywhere around me in the early summer and am always amazed at the process. There are lots of ways to speak of growth but the most important thing about the process, I think, is imperceptibility; we don’t know how it happens – it just does if we have done the groundwork. Jesus says that it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of it’s own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

So the question arises: Does the reign of God grow in us the same way? Surely we have to do the “groundwork” of spiritual practice and consciousness of how we are living. Lately though I have begun to notice some changes in myself for which I can’t take credit or blame. I won’t go into the wrinkles that a friend kindly calls “the windstorms of our lives” but I have been surprised in my work by a new sense of confidence and a less judgmental stance than ever before. Once in awhile now I recognize that things which seemed so important when I was younger hold no sway now. Sometimes, it’s other people who tell me I’ve changed and upon reflection I can understand their reasoning.

The moral of this story seems to be once again a delicate balance of consciousness and surrender, an attentiveness to doing the groundwork of planting God’s intention for us deep within while letting go of the need to control the outcome. God is, after all, the master gardener.

Rich Soil

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bear fruit, gardening, generosity, goodness, Luke, perseverance, seed, sower, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Any gospel story about farmers or others growing things is always heartening to me as I become more and more conscious of the beauty and the things of earth. The lessons are generally easy to discern as well. This morning there was a verse in the long parable about the sower and the seed (LUKE 8:4-15) that not only stood out but gave me a comforting insight. It was at the end of the text.

As for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.

The text says nothing about perfect flowers or just enough color or the admiration of everyone for a successful crop. It’s rather about generosity, goodness and perseverance. It can’t get any better than that!