Bearing Fruit - Inauguration 2021

Again Jesus began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that ‘they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.'” And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:1-20

A Litany for the Inauguration

Loving Creator, source of all wisdom

we have been planted in a fertile nation

you have taught us to walk the good road

yet violence and division have marked us all.

Help us to bear the fruits of your love in this season.

Precious Savior, you commanded us to listen

you told us stories to help us understand

you gave us the words of life to sow deep

yet we have too often been rocky, shallow ground.

Help us to bear the fruits of your love in this season.

Wondrous Divine, you made us all in your image

yet we demonize the other, refuse the stranger

we plant deep roots of hate and  violent distrust

yet still you call to each of us to be reconciled.

Help us to bear the fruits of your love in this season.

Humble God, who chose to be among the poor

turn us away from our selfish and cruel ways

inspire us to plant gardens of hope and joy

forgive us again so we might sow love again.

Help us to bear the fruits of your love in this season. Amen.