Proper 6
The season after Pentecost begins and our lectionary points us over and over again toward the way to live life as a follower of Jesus; that is a life of transformation. Always.
Jesus comes to the crowds and sees the harassed and the helpless. What is Jesus’ response?
The response of the Divine, of the holy one and of all holy ones is compassion.
I have heard over these weeks of COVID isolation how many of you are working in gardens, both large and small.
Mary, Mary, Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silver Bells, And Cockle Shells,
And so my garden grows.
How many of you grew up with this nursery rhyme? The oldest known version was first published in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book (1744). Many of us learned this nursery rhyme as a child, sang it in preschool, recited it to our own children.
The history of the poem is a bit darker, a bit more obscure, referring perhaps to the history of the Church and the reign of kings and queens in England of the 15 and 16
th
century. It was a bloody time of rebellion and unrest. These 4 lines of a children’s poem meant something completely different.
Our world is also like this. There is always the story under the story.
Growing a good garden requires breaking up the soil, digging deep in the soil, adding water and sun and other nutrients and then the weeding. Gardens require attention, not just partial attention, to grow gardens require our full attention, gardens [and people] need our compassion. Only then can will we realize the lovely fruit [and flowers and vegetables].
Jesus comes and is compassionate, he suffers with them. Jesus meets the folks where they are.
That is the training the disciples receive. That’s it! Suffer with them. This is listening, being with, standing with.
Jesus reminds us we cannot not ignore the situations life presents. We are to acknowledge the pain, the sickness, the hunger, the thirst, the death, this is how we help bring the kingdom of God to the places where there is suffering. Jesus encourages all who listen, and all who follow, to push past our fear into the larger heart of humanity. In fact that is the kingdom of God!
This is how Jesus leads and the authority is given to all the disciples. Disciples with names like sound a lot like your names. This is our call.
Compassion does not stop at pity, beloved. Compassion does not end with feeling sorry for those we encounter.
Yes, this is made more difficult for us who cannot touch each other outside of our circles of our homes. Even under these constraints we know we have different tools. So while you may not be able or willing to go forth safely. I can urge you strongly to pray, to read, to learn, to listen, will allow us to develop the compassion God instills within each of us.
How does your garden grow?
Jesus invited the disciples to full participation in the work. Full engagement with the folks who came to meet them, the harassed.
Dig deep beloved, keep growing your gardens and know this there is more behind every story. Take time to hear the whole story as much as we can. That work of listening is the work of compassion.
How does your garden grow?
Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7)
Psalm 116:1, 10-17
Romans 5:1-8
Matthew 9:35-10:8(9-23)
Rev. Alison
