This week’s lectionary texts include an under-discussed parable, the story of the unproductive fig tree and the gardener who suggests that all it really needs is a little more manure. There are lots of resonances here as we approach Holy Week: Jesus cursing the fig tree on his way into Jerusalem, Mary Magdalene mistaking Jesus for the gardener on Easter morning. And there are lots of applications for our Lenten journey, as well: if we’re not succeeding so well in our attempt at spiritual practices and fasts (uh, daily posting, anyone?), we should give them one more chance before calling it quits.
In talking about this parable with the kids tomorrow morning, I’m planning to bring back the potted Alleluia we buried on Transfiguration Sunday. It’s a risky sermon because it depends on getting the “right” response to a question — what if the kids agree that it’s best just to give up and start again? We shall see.
You might remember that we buried a word in this pot, a very happy word, a word we are not allowed to say until Easter. We can’t say that word out loud now, because it’s the very serious season of Lent.
Well, it’s been three whole weeks now since we planted it, and NOTHING has happened! Nothing has grown! All I see here is dirt! I am SO mad about this. I really thought something was going to grow by now. What is taking so long? It is so frustrating! I am so mad that I think maybe we should just turn this pot upside down, dump out all the dirt, and start all over again. What do you think? Do you think I should give up?
(hopefully, at least one kid will say no)
Why do you think that? (talk for a minute with the kids) Hmm, do you think I should wait a while before giving up? Maybe give it another chance?
You know, this reminds me of a story Jesus told once. He said there was a man who was growing a fig tree in his garden, because he really wanted to eat some figs. But for three whole years, there were no figs on the tree. He was really angry, and wanted to chop the tree down.
But before he could do that, his gardener said, “Wait. Let’s give this tree one more year. Let’s water it, and fertilize it, and take excellent care of it. Maybe it will grow some figs then. Let’s wait and see.”
Lent is a time for waiting for Easter to come. Sometimes we don’t see what we hope for right away. But we can’t give up. We have to give it time. We have to give it another chance. Let’s give our pot full of dirt another chance. We’ll wait until Easter and see what happens.
Let’s say a prayer together: Dear God - please help us - while we wait - and show us - the great things - you have in store for us - Amen!
During this Lenten season at Smithfield UCC, we are focusing on spiritual disciplines. Each Sunday, Senior Minister Doug Patterson is going to challenge the congregation to try a specific practice during the week. For instance, the first week’s focus is Silence, and the “homework assignment” is to spend three 20-minute periods in silence — not reading, not doing the dishes, just being still and listening for God’s voice. Meanwhile, during Pilgrim Adventures with the kids, I’ll be introducing the same practice the grown-ups are talking about upstairs, and I’ll give them a similar challenge (five minutes of silence seems like a lot when you’re only five years old!).
With colored pencils, fine-line markers, or other art supplies, illustrate each spiritual practice in the center of the card. I found some of them much easier to represent than others — fresh veggies for “Health” was pretty straightforward, but what to draw for “Silence”? (I settled on a snow-covered landscape, remembering the deep silences of Lake Sunapee in midwinter in my childhood.)
Because surely we can do better than this.