Leaven

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” Matthew 13:31-33



Leaven

The laughter of children
the forgiveness of a friend
the light filtering in morning
all the leaven I need.

Your sweet voice humming a tune
a hand across the icy porch
giggles and silly games in the yard
raising up a sorrowing heart.

A simple dinner at dusk
a sandwich shared on the beach
picking beach plums with little ones
brings a lifetime of joy.

Listening to my children sing
their hopes and fear shared
pie cut up and passed about
this is the leaven of love.

Leaven makes the whole loaf rise
love lifts us all to generosity
tender shepherd tucks us in
and we are wrapped in the arms of God.