Scripture Scribbles: June 16, 2024

the Gospel

Mark 4:26-34

Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and through it all the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”

He said,
“To what shall we compare the kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

the scribble

As I pray with and unpack these parables on the Kingdom of Heaven, I have a baby in my womb and two little boys in my arms - one nursing, one dozing off in morning sleepiness - and I smile thinking, this is heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a seed planted in a mother’s womb by her beloved, the father, in ecstasy. On its own accord, a heartbeat begins, limbs sprout, and a body forms. She knows not how. Birth arrives. She and her beloved are suspended between heaven and earth, life and death, as her body bears the fruit of their love so that another beloved daughter or son can dwell in the promise of eternal life.  

On this Father’s Day, I keep thinking of how important the role of father is for the Kingdom of Heaven. Many have a painful response hearing the word Father - for a multitude of reasons. The reality is we have a loving Father that surpasses all pain, heals, and welcomes us into the Kingdom of Heaven, not by our own accord, but by something He cultivates. We just need to allow Him to plant the seed by opening ourselves up to Love. 

If you are here, reading this, the seed is planted. We are called to deeper surrender, through the hardships and enjoyable times. Day and night, we arise and sleep with an opportunity to witness our Faith grow by engaging in daily prayer, participating in the Sacraments, and offering forgiveness to those who hurt us. Whether you are at the beginning of the journey, in a stagnant space, in need of healing, or in an old, deep friendship with the Lord - where are you called to allow the King of Heaven draw you nearer to the Kingdom, in this life and the next?

Today’s devotion was written by Diana Giard