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
The House of Bishops is meeting in Texas this week. It was an extraordinary contrast, after leaving on a cold Boston morning to arrive in Houston where it was more than 80 degrees. As we traveled along to the meeting place, there were many fields of green, and many fields already turned over ready for planting. We only dream about planting in Massachusetts this time of year. Most cannot even begin to turn over the soil, not ready to add the compost, still in that cold frozen state. I have learned that good soil is often hard to come by and needs tender care and regular feeding. So it is for the church. Many churches and people need tender care, regular feeding along with abundant water, air and sunshine.
Generous Creator, you made this earth verdant
you put plants in places they would surely grow
different species for very different climates
yet we fail to provide the climate so all may grow.
We pave over too much and pour chemicals down
choking off the sacred ground, our rich Mother earth
thinking we know better and grow things faster
we have made our gardens places of great danger.
Help us all to repair this sacred gift of earth
make us those who are willing to mend the circle
give us your strength so we might labor on
so there is good soil for all to grow strong in you. Amen.
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