Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Readings:  Psalms 72, 119:73-96, Genesis 42:18-28, 1 Corinthians 5:5-9—6:8, Mark 4:1-20

The “ad” in early February proclaimed: “They’ve Arrived: The Vegetable and Flower Seeds are Here!” Nothing new here; it happens every year! But it set me thinking that Lent shares this proclamation every year and there is something new here. The Seeds of Lent Have Arrived: They’re Here!   All of today’s readings share the seeds of Understanding, Steadfast Love, Mercy, Faithfulness, Sincerity, Truth, Healing, Sowing the seeds on Good Ground.  

Lent offers us each the opportunity to “start with nothing but a seed,” on Ash Wednesday ~ “Remember that you are dust….” And to slowly make our way to “everything” on Easter Day when the seeds that we nurtured through Lent help us, and the whole Church, proclaim to the World, “I am the Resurrection and The Life.” Today’s readings provide the “G.P.S.” as to how to “get there.” Like the arrival of the packaged seeds, Lent’s seeds are accompanied by promise, hope, hard work and faith.  

Paul Rogers, Worcester County’s favorite horticulturist, wrote: “Sowing seeds has its rewards,” but he advises that the soil must be “free of weeds” that keep the seeds from maturing.  Uh, oh!  that starts coming “close to home” with me ~ how about you? Before I can plant the “Seeds of Lent,” as listed above, I’ve got some work to do “cleaning out some weeds” that have been allowed to grow unattended. Lent gives each of us the challenge to replace those weeds by asking God each day to help us identify the weeds and replace them with the Seeds of God’s Love and Forgiveness.  Lent is a journey, much like the journey of the seeds we plant and nurture. And, like each seed, the journey is both personal and part of something larger than ourselves. Its beauty is often proclaimed as it joins with other seeds in a community of faith, or in a beautiful garden of color or lush-looking vegetables.  

In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 4:1-20, Jesus gives us the parable of “The Sower” ~ a passage familiar to many of us.  Jesus says:  “Listen!” And He goes on to list all the reasons why some seeds never quite make it to full growth.  But, He concludes with: “Other seed fell into the good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty to sixty and a hundredfold.  Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” May Easter Day find us all in a place where we have “listened” and say with the psalmist in Psalm 72:  “…May there be abundance of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains; and may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities (and towns) like the grass of the field……Blessed be the Lord; the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.”  Happy Planting!

(Lorraine Hennigar)