Mark 4: 26-34: Jesus also said, “The reign of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, without knowing how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once goes in with the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
He also said, “With what can we compare the reign of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
Biblical scholar Ched Meyers, in his incredibly thorough commentary on the book of Mark ‘Binding the Strong Man,’ describes the probable mindset of the crowd listening to Jesus that day by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus’ hearers could probably be described as having ‘cynical realism.’ That is, they were resigned to thinking the oppression of the Romans, the oppression of the land owners, the oppression of poverty was just the way it is, and the way it will be. Conventional wisdom urged resignation to present arrangements of power. There’s no hope of a better future…give it up.
But as Meyers notes, along comes Jesus who repudiates such pessimism, just as another parable-spinner, Ezekiel, did. We heard those lofty, remarkable words of hope from Ezekiel this morning (‘Ezek. 17: ‘God says…I will take a twig from the lofty cedar….and it will become a noble cedar and under it will dwell all kinds of beasts.’)
Jesus’ hearers that day must have been blown away when Jesus said the reign of God is like a mustard seed. A mustard seed, the tiniest of all seeds grows into a magnificent life-giving plant. The reign of God is like that. The reign of God will make real the hope of a future different from the misery of the present. Jesus countered the cynical realism and the gloom. Just as Ezekiel’s tree parables tell of God overcoming oppressive domination, Jesus’ mustard seed parable brings that tiny seed of hope which will grow into something wondrous.
I don’t know about you, but I need these parables of Jesus & Ezekiel to counter my cynical realism. And I need to be surrounded by people who plant that mustard seed of hope in my life. As Christ’s hearers, as Christ’s followers we know the last words of Jesus to the disciples were not: “Go hunker down and make sure you take care of yourselves.” No, Jesus said go and tell the good news, go and be the good news, go and live the good news. Go and plant mustard seeds of hope and love which have been planted in your hearts. God will provide the growth. (Pause)
In the months after my wife Sue died, the reality of her being gone flattened me. My despair can be described in WH Auden’s well-known poem, Funeral Blues: I’ll change the gender:
‘She was my north, my south, my east my west,
my working week, my Sunday rest,
my noon, my midnight, my talk, my song,
I thought our love would last forever, I was wrong.
The stars are no longer needed now, put out every one,
pack up the moon, dismantle the sun,
pour out the ocean, sweep up the wood,
for now nothing can come to any good.’
Cynical realism: life with her over, a depressing, hopeless future. But this community, Holy Wisdom Sunday Assembly, is a gathering of mustard seed planters who’ve had the seed of Christ’s love planted in them and share that with others! The kind words, the hugs, the notes, and prayers of well-wishes and healing were seeds of hope for my life. Thank you!
I also found a mustard seed planter in a very unexpected place. I went to the Social Security office on Odana Rd. to fill-out the paperwork regarding Sue’s death. The room was packed with people…standing room only. I didn’t have an appointment. On the far side of the room was a security guard. I approached him to ask about how I could see someone regarding my wife’s death. He said I needed to call ahead for an appointment. But he then told me how sorry he was to hear of my wife’s death. He asked me about her. What kind of person was she? How long had we been married? He asked about my family. He asked about how I was coping and if I had good emotional support. I really think he was a social worker dressed as a security guard. I left not getting what I wanted, but I certainly got what I needed…a mustard seed of hope.
We may all may have some things we are cynically realistic about. The climate will continue to get hotter, humanity is toast; the Israelis and Palestinians will never reconcile, there will never be a fair solution; Russia will continue its senseless war against Ukraine; a family member will drink himself to death, never recovering; cancer will not ever be cured, gun craziness and militarism will be a permanent part of our culture…bump stocks legal, are you mad???; racism will never end, women will never have equal rights; LGBTQ people will always be judged; on and on, pounded down and muddling in cynical realism.
But if we are to believe Jesus’ parable, the seeds of hope we plant will grow as God provides the growth. The seed of hope is planted by people and places who work for sustainable energy solutions to stop the need for fossil fuel; the seed of hope is planted by supporting Israelis’ and Palestinians who are working for reconciliation and letting our congressional representatives and President know that the billions of dollars spent to support the Israeli military is not furthering a peaceful solution; the seed of hope is planted by the United Nations and US backing the people of Ukraine; the seed of hope is planted when a recovering alcoholic answers the phone when a person calls desperately wanting to drink but needs support to resist; hope is planted as we support the Equal Rights Amendment, as we honor & celebrate Juneteenth, as we support cancer research, as we back gun-laws which make sense; as we call for reasonable military spending; as there are more excellent programs such as the one which aired on PBS Wisconsin this past week, It was based on former Sunday Assembly member Dick Wagner’s remarkable two-volume work, and it detailed the history of LGBQT people in Wisconsin. Truly a seed of hope..
I know there are people who don’t experience cynical realism, Maybe like the people I know who live on the sunny side of Sun Prairie with 14 perfect grandchildren and two Lexis’s! It’s true…I saw pictures…of the children, not the cars! But for the rest of us, Jesus’ parable is what we need to hear. May it inspire us to continue to plant seeds of goodness and hope knowing that some way, some maybe very incredible way, God will provide the growth. The reign of God is like a mustard seed planted and growing into a life-giving world for all.
Amen.
(Pause)
Let us pray.
O God, nourish us through gifts of word and worship. Guide us to plant that grace which has filled us. Loving God, hear our prayer.
Nature sings your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. Sustain the holy rhythms of creation. Inspire us to care for our earth as you care for us. Loving God, hear our prayer.
Bless all who are victims of marginalization, discrimination, and hate. As we anticipate Juneteenth, banish white supremacy and bigotry from the hearts of people. Guide leaders to support inclusion of all in the decisions which guide our nation. Loving God, hear our prayer.
Give strength & healing to those with cancer, enduring illness, & all who experience chronic pain. Loving God, hear our prayer.
As you have loved us, so let us love one another. Empower fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, adoptive fathers, and chosen fathers to embody this gift of love for their children. Where these relationships are strained or broken, bring your comfort and peace. Loving God, hear our prayer.
Comfort those who grieve the death of loved ones. Bless Sherri & family as they remember Scott. Surround them with love. Loving God, hear our prayer.
For the prayers listed in our book of Intentions, for those whose names we now speak…..and the prayers we hold silently in our hearts. Loving God, hear our prayer.
Receive our prayers, O God, through the power of the Spirit and the love of Jesus Christ. Amen.