Dear Friends,
I have an odd scar right in the middle of my neck. To many, it looks like I perhaps had a minor surgery, or maybe, more worrisome, that I once lost an airway and was criked. The real story is not nearly so dramatic, at least not to a culture so deeply informed by medical dramas (don’t get me started on my extensive knowledge of House, MD or Grey’s Anatomy).
So, where did my scar actually come from. The scar on my neck, which I’ve had for over half my life now, is from a clay Jesus Fish choker bought at a youth retreat. A deeply anxious young person, I would tighten the choker throughout the day as I moved through the hallways of my overcrowded middle school, the purple and blue clay and black string pressing and rubbing against my neck. I tightened it day after day for months, until one day it cracked in half. I was heartbroken and, after all of that friction, my neck retained a thin dark line.
I’ve never seen another Jesus fish necklace quite like the one that broke when I was still in middle school, but I found myself thinking about this little piece of jewelry while reading this week’s Gospel, which features the Parable of the Mustard Seed – because unlike my peculiar Jesus fish necklace, mustard seed necklaces have a long history, one that dates back nearly 200 years!
The Magical Mystery Mustard Seed
Mustard seed necklaces saw their heyday during the 1940s to 1960s, but they’re still easy to come by and quite popular, the sort of thing I expect many of you owned at one point or another over the years. And it’s no surprise; I think they’re often gifted in the spirit of “With God All Things Are Possible.” To have faith the size of a mustard seed is to be able to move mountains, right? Except, you know what they (who?) always say, “If you pray for God to move a mountain, expect to wake up next to a shovel.”
When I think about the Parable of the Mustard Seed in Godly Play, though, I arrive somewhere other than at some conclusion of the power of our personal faith, whether it is minuscule or great. That’s because, at their core, Godly Play parables help us to consider what the Kingdom of Heaven (or, in other cases, the nature of Jesus) is like. And so, as the tiny mustard seed grows and grows, it attracts the birds of the air, who make their homes there. We are not the Mustard Seed. Our faith is not the Mustard Seed. Heaven is what springs forth from the Mustard Seed, though, unfurling to make space for all of us.
The miracle, it seems, emerges while our backs are turned or while we were sleeping. We ask the children what the sower in the story might have been doing while the seed was growing into this great shrub. They don’t seem to have been tending to the growing seed. And yet, here it is, flourishing. It’s the opposite of the “wake up beside a shovel” sentiment. The birds did the work they needed to do, building their nests and creating a community. All the sower had to do was plant the seed.
I wonder, do you feel more like the birds or the sower right now?
I wonder, where might you have found a home? Was it an expected place?
The Feast of St. Francis, Fuzzy Friends, & More
This Sunday, many congregations with mark the Feast of St. Francis, which falls on the following Tuesday, and I love the excitement this particular feast day engenders for children, families, and communities. If you’re looking for ways to mark this day on Sunday or on its appointed Feast Day, some ideas you might consider include:
Blessing the Stuffed Animals: For ease of operations and in order to connect everyone to this special day, our congregation blesses stuffed animals at our main worship service, but you don’t need a priest to confer this blessing. You might model a blessing or work with your child to create special blessings for their favorite fluffy friends.
Learn About Animal Rescues In Your Area: I’ll be honest, I have a particular soft spot for animal-related programming - my wife is training to be a veterinarian, so that’s no surprise. Beyond just donating pet food or toys to mark this day, take some time to learn about the program’s needs year round. Are there times when their shelves run dry, or when they need foster homes for animals in their care? How old do you have to be to come walk the dogs or help with other programs? Volunteering with these facilities can be a real joy.
Visit Your Local Zoo Or Farm Center: People have mixed feelings about zoos, but the vast majority, especially those that are AZA accredited, play a vital role in much larger conservation efforts. Take panda programs as an example! You’ll often hear people say that trying to save them is a waste of money and energy, but the popularity of panda programs actually funds conservation for many other animals!
Another fun thing for this week: I’m working on a new liturgical season-based resource. My local formation community did a workshop on the platform Padlet recently, and given the mess that is my long list of saved links and the untenable pile they form, I thought I’d give it a try! You can check out the beginning of it here. I’ll be adding to it as I discover new things!
I may be away next week on some Godly Play undertakings, but before you know it, we’ll be arriving at Allhallowtide. For now, though, may your furry and scaly and feathered friends be a blessing.
Peace,
Bird