Bearing Fruit

Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake 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

I truly enjoy gardening and raising flowers and vegetables. About this time in January, the first seed and gardening catalogs arrive. I pour over the many vegetable varieties and wonder if we shouldn't try something new this year. Our garden spaces have limited sun and some of the soil is not the richest.  We compost and every year try to help the soil get better. I have to be reasonable with my expectations, and also not get discouraged. Living in faith and bearing fruit requires tenacity and the strength to bear fruit where we have been planted.

Abundant Creator, source of life

in the midwinter darkness we wonder

whether life will return to us again

and whether we will bear fruit this year.

We are often overwhelmed by thorns

trying to grow in dangerous places

yet you promise to be our daily guide

and to help us be fruitful where planted.

Strengthen us for your service today

let all fear and greed fall away from us

let our lives be dedicated to your word

and let your love be the fruit that we bring. Amen.