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!
I brought a picture to show you today. This is a picture of me and my sister when we were kids. [Sarah Mary, if you're reading this, sorry for putting you in my children's sermon without asking permission!] In this picture, I am six and she is almost three. My sister and I look a lot alike: we both have brown hair and blue eyes. But in a lot of ways, we were very different. I was quiet, and she was LOUD! I liked to play with dolls, and she liked to collect rocks. I liked to sit still, and she liked to run and dance. But even though we were different from each other, our mom and dad loved us both, just the same, exactly as we were.
I liked the Mary Poppins video so much that it’s inspired this week’s children’s sermon. At first, I found myself writing that we are “home alone” now here on earth, and that it’s our job to be Jesus’ hands and feet in the world. But, while I do love the 
Because surely we can do better than this.