Hello friends,
This is Mark Gladman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighbourhood monk in dogs.
Welcome to another episode in our continuing series of considering the parables of Jesus through these guided meditations.
So as we come to be together,
I invite you to take a moment right now just to settle.
Allow your breathing to slow,
Your body to relax.
Take a deep breath in and out as we continue listening to the stories of Jesus.
Allow yourself to arrive in this moment with openness and with curiosity.
Now today's parable is very famous and speaks of something incredibly small,
Mustard seed.
In our time,
We hear this story usually as a symbol of greatness beginning in small ways.
But keep in mind that in Jesus' time,
The mustard seed wasn't something to be admired.
It was known as an unruly plant,
Almost like a weed.
It spread quickly and it was hard to contain.
It had to be carefully cultivated.
No gardener who gardened with any sense of care would deliberately plant mustard in the middle of a tidy field.
And yet this is the image that Jesus chooses for the kingdom of God.
Now he could have picked a towering cedar tree or a neatly planned vineyard.
But instead,
He picked something small and persistent and unexpected.
Something that grows where others might not want it to.
So as you listen to the parable today,
Ask yourself,
Where might small beginnings already be unfolding in my life?
Even in places that perhaps you once overlooked.
So first of all,
Listen to the story simply heard as it was meant to be told.
From Matthew chapter 13,
Verses 31 to 32.
Jesus put another parable before them.
He said,
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
But when it has grown,
It is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree.
So that the birds of the air can come and make nests in its branches.
So let the image there rest quietly within you.
A tiny seed,
Planted in the soil,
Growing gently,
Becoming shelter.
Just let those things sink deeply in the silence,
Just for a moment.
Now listen again,
And as you listen,
Notice what word or phrase or image draws your attention and seems to want to stay with you.
Jesus put another parable before them.
He said,
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
But when it has grown,
It is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree.
So that the birds of the air can come and make nests in its branches.
So that thing that caught your attention,
Hold on to it for a moment and just return to that word,
That image or phrase.
And in the silence now,
Allow it to remain and just sit with you and speak deeply to you.
And now I invite you to listen once more.
And as you listen this time,
Begin to notice where this story might be meeting your life.
What in your life might feel small or insignificant or easily overlooked?
And what might be growing there?
Jesus put another parable before them.
He said,
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
But when it has grown,
It is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree.
So that the birds of the air can come and make nests in its branches.
Rest now in the stillness and allow the image to deepen.
Small beginnings,
Slow growth,
Unexpected shelter.
And in the silence now,
Just trust that what begins quietly can become a place of life for others in and around you.
So as we come gently to a close now,
Perhaps ask yourself this question.
Where are small beginnings already taking root in my life?
Now these aren't the great big grand plans or the successes that seem to jump out.
But these are the small persistent and quiet beginnings.
And as you move into the rest of your day,
May you trust what begins in hidden ways.
And may you honor the small seeds that are already growing.
And may grace,
Peace and love be with you,
Go with you and flow through you today and every day.
Amen.
Until next time,
Go gently my friend and may peace be with you.
