What Does the Kingdom Look Like - Mark 4 - Proper 6B

What does the Kingdom look like

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Reflection based upon Mark 4: 26-34, Psalm 92, and Ezekiel 17:22-24

Opening prayer

Jesus asks, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God?” He tells us about the life of a mustard seed that grows from such a tiny seed into a tree that is the greatest of all. 

And so it is with God, to scatter seeds and wait in patience for the garden and shrub to rise.

For me as a gardener, the parables illustrate an aspect of God’s vision, or plan, and the attitude that God conveys.

Let me start first with the attitude. 

I threw seeds in a part of my garden and waited an entire year before anything besides weeds grew. Yet, this year, I go out and find the mix of wildflowers. 

I have planted roses and watched a couple struggle. With diligence, love and care, the roses made it, and they produce vibrant colors today.

This year, we have a guest family that decided the bottom of our shed was a great new home. They have decided to help themselves to some newer plants. Hopefully, I will see plants come back, and maybe, the rabbits find new homes.

This patience, this hopefulness, this caring, this diligence and this labor of love are part of this attitude. The gardener, God, has this for you, me and even the people we disagree.

The vision.

I as a gardener, usually have a vision. It may be loose for something’s like the wildflowers or more specific like the roses. That plan has to be fairly flexible, given not all weather is great, not all seeds grow the way I want and, of course, homemaker rabbits.

I have to think this is similar for God, although I don’t what the actual plan is. Yet from Genesis to beyond, God set forth something universal, mystical and full of love with hope beyond our comprehension.

Thing is that God wants our participation. Not just throwing seeds. There is desire for community and love in us. 

It is said that forests will communicate with each through roots and the soil. All mechanisms to help foster grow of community of trees and plants as well as people and animals. Yet, we as people and animals can use our voice and our expression of the God-given love and presence with family, friends and yes even enemies.

That is a root of the Ezekiel passage and the teachings of Jesus in Mark. The first shall be last, the last shall be first. “I will dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. “

Even a cat can share some of God’s grace, and our house thanks Marquis for all that he demonstrated of that. 

Jesus’s parable invokes a measure of pain and loss with the images of the sickle in harvest. I submit that is because to live is not avoiding pain but understanding that life involves pain and suffering. 

This may be what the Buddha invokes in the Four Noble Truths. Life may, itself, be suffering, and the fact that we feel means we can, and should, respect all life and the emotions that come with living. 

There are paths beyond suffering and pain through how we live and how we pray.

Yet, life is not just about suffering, and suffering is definitely not a reward for abuse. 

Although as mortals, we cannot escape suffering. There is no amount of alcohol, drugs, withdrawal, violence we inflict or complaining we do that can change that. Struggles and suffering happen. 

We can live and help others to live through those struggles. There, we can see past our own lives of privilege and blessings to help others around us find some for themselves, whether youth needing direction, a homeless mother, a queer adolescent looking for identity and safe space, or American Native hoping for simple respect. 

With God, there is hope - beyond the struggle - for you - a seed that has been planted. There is an attitude and a vision for you as one of those seeds.

I often hear people talking about this “vision-plan”, and I will admit, I don’t know what exactly God saw when planting us. Yet, I disagree with folks saying that anyone with a cheap prayerbook might screw up this design. 

I know that having my father in my life was grace even though I endured suffering and pain of his loss. Perhaps, it would have been better to not endure the loss of my cats, Mr Snuggles and Marquis (or any pet), but life was/is so much the better with them being in our lives.

“I could have missed the pain, but I’d had to miss the dance.” (Garth Brooks)

It isn’t about what I want (or what pain I could avoid). It is much bigger than myself. It is about what God gives us and what we do with it.

God, the gardener, has more than a vision, but desires for those involved to share their colors, their unique aspects, their life as family and children of God. God wants to see us flourish with these gifts of love, compassion, and justice. 

We flourish by sharing those gifts. For those who hoard grace, wealth and privilege are certain to lose it. 

Thus, this “kingdom” is not about power and privilege. It is not about honor seats at the table.

God’s kingdom is for all God’s children because “All truly are welcome here.” 

Give thanks!

When you give thanks and sing praises to that sacred Name, remember your part. Your family and neighbors, far and close, also deserve that. 

That love and devotion is for you and for me to grow and flourish together.

So Beloved, Is that the kingdom you were looking for ?  If so, step this way…

Thanks be to God