Friday, June 1, 2012

Daily Office Reflection: Small Things

Magnolia Bloom outside National Cathedral
Psalms 31 * 35; Proverbs 23:19-21,29-24:2; 1 Timothy 5:17-22(23-25); Matthew 13:31-35

In today's readings we are gifted the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast in Matthew's Gospel. Small things prove to be mighty agents for growth and strengthening. 


Most of us can remember a small incident, something seemingly innocuous said to us, a deed done for or to us, something we observed someone else doing, something that had great influence over us...that nestled deep in our memories, our hearts, our souls, and reminded us to remember that small thing and to be guided by it in the future. 


Jesus' words, teachings, parables can be like those small things that bloom into something much larger than the lessons themselves. Those words, teachings, parables, can, like yeast, get into every fiber of our being and change how we act in the world, how we approach and love those we meet. There is some intentionality here too...but those agents (the seed, the yeast) can, and will, do their work, if we gently tend them and let them grow as they are designed to do. 


We are asked to let these teachings of Jesus take root, ferment within us. To let them grow and enter into each part of our being and thus change us. Like the mustard seed doesn't become a great shrub or tree overnight, nor the yeast leaven the flour immediately, these teachings of Jesus take time...but we have to allow them to be planted within us, placed within us, first, and gently tended. Can we allow that to happen to us? Can we, likewise, plant that seed, lay in that yeast, in others, and gently and patiently tend those too?
jfd+


Copyright 2012, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

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