Life on Earth (2020-07-12, Sunday -15)

2020-07-12 _ 15^th Sunday

● Isaiah 55:10-11  ● Psalm 65  ●  Romans 8:18-23 ● + Matthew 13:1-23  ●

Title:   Life on Earth

 

[_01_]   It has now been several months since the coronavirus crisis and COVID-19 halted the world, changed “business hours” for many places that we shop …and it’s not yet clear if we can dine in a restaurant indoors or not.

          I see that Oak Barrel Pub and Nicholas Anthony’s on Main Street outdoor dining but not yet indoor tables in the restaurant.

         

[_02_]   Some of us have had to adapt our ways and behavior to obtain food. Ever ordered supermarket food online before? I have not..and actually still have not done so..but there is a first time for everything.

          I am grateful to you, the parish family, of Our Lady of Lourdes, because I know that you have helped so many of your neighbors, friends, family to obtain the food they need.

          Several of you have volunteered at Christine’s Kitchen / Holy Trinity Episcopal down the street… or just dropped off food here or for your neighbors.

          Buying and obtaining food, which we used to take for granted… we no longer take it for granted, as a given as a guarantee.

          There even are age limits and age brackets for going food shopping.  Under age 65? Over age 65? This may dicatate when you go to Shop Rite? If so, at what hours?

          Either way, wear a mask.

 

[_03_]   The Gospel this Sunday reminds us where the food comes from, how it gets to us, even before it is loaded on to the truck or placed on the shelves.

          It comes from the ground, from the earth. Some of us know this quite well because we have grown our own food, grown food in our gardens.

          Growing your own food is not rocket science, it is not a super advanced technological endeavor. It just requires the right soil, the right conditions, the right earth.

 

[_04_]   But, in order to grow food – in order for the seed to grow – the seed that is scattered,  we need to have good earth.

          What is true for the seed to grow and sprout into corn or spinach or tomatoes … is also true for us.

          Are we taking care of our earth, our soil, our lives?

[_05_]            So.. growing food is not “rocket science”, it is not as complicated as landing on Mars or launching the International Space Station, but there is some science to growing food, caring for the earth.

          Everyone with a garden is concerned with the science and development of life in some way.

          And, those who dig in the dirt know that we cannot simply take the earth and soil for granted.

          Jesus was communicating this as well… the seed grows best in good soil.  It will grow poorly or not at all in bad soil.

          Am I – are you – taking care of your soil, the earth?

          In this regard, I am not asking you if you mowed your lawn or cleaned your room or did the dishes .

          I am asking how are you and I taking care of ourselves. We are the soil

 

[_06_]   Many years ago, I worked for a few weeks for a landscaper….in this particular line of work, we were not cutting the grass or cutting the trees…but usually putting in new green plants …or a new lawn.

          One day, we had to put down sod…  Basically, sod is grass that has already been planted. Also referred to as turf grass, sod is sold in sections that are grass and soil held together by roots or other materials. This type of grass is more lusher and grows more evenly. It is often longer than other types of grass as well.

          I remember my co-worker in this task absolutely dreading the task because of how hard it was going to be, to unload every section of grass for the rest of day.

          It was pretty hard work.

          And, in order to put in the grass, the lawn…we had to spent a lot of time preparing the soil, picking up every rock, every stone…and then also providing much water – hydration – to the new grass in order to make it grow.

          The earth had to be prepared. It is sometimes messy work to prepare the earth.

[_07_]   What is true for the earth to receive new seed and new grass is also true for you, for me.

          We are called to give our bodies enough rest, nourishment, food, so that we can grow.

          We do the same for our children and for those in our care.

          It’s also true that those who are older and those who are younger need more rest, more food, more water. That young grass needed constant watering.

          And those who are younger or older need more rest, more food, more love, more affection, more forgiveness.

          If have ever taken care of an older person or younger person, you know this…

          But, our soul and spirit also needs this same type of nourishment.

Also, just as the earth and environment thrive when they are NOT exploited or abused… but rather thrive when they are cared for and nurtured, so also do we.

At the end of the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene was near the tomb, weeping and Jesus appears to her though she did not know that it was Jesus.

We read that Mary Magdalene confuses Jesus whom she does not expect to see with the “gardener” whom she did expect to see. She thought Jesus was the gardener.  

One commentary I read years ago pointed out the paradox.

In fact, for us, Jesus is the gardener. He is working the earth. We are called to let him work in our earth, in our lives, so that we can receive the seed he scatters.

Jesus is not asking us, necessarily, to grow our own food. He is asking us to live each day by every word – which is food – that comes forth from the mouth of God.  [_fin_]