(c) 2014 C. B. Park, all rights reserved
Many things
came to mind when I read all of Jesus’ metaphoric descriptions of the kingdom
of heaven. First, I thought, ‘again with
the seeds’? Haven’t we had enough of
those stories already? The next three
metaphors are a little more interesting.
Yeast – that, like the mustard seed, starts small but grows until it
takes over and leavens the entire measure of flour. A hidden treasure in a field and a pearl of
great price, which are known only to the purchaser: the one who is willing to
give up everything to own it. A burgeoning net, full of fish, which are
separated at harvest time.
Seeds, soil,
weeds, yeast, pearls, treasure, judgment.
The kingdom of heaven is like all that. It’s like something else,
too. It’s all so ordinary. Yes, even the ordinary is someone’s treasure. Treasure is in the eye of the beholder. Barbara Brown Taylor, in her sermon on this
text, bids us to look deeply into these metaphors. Find the extraordinary in
the ordinary. I love that strategy. Yet,
as I kept reading and re-reading, I couldn’t shake another metaphor that kept
invading my brain. It was stubborn. It
was crazy. Yet, there it was. And, I’m sure that Jesus, having the sense of
humor of his heavenly Father, probably would have used it also, if the
two-wheeled apparatus had been invented in his time.
God help me
(and I know She will), I think the kingdom of heaven is like World Naked
Bicycling Day.
Okay…first –
a little history. I had not heard of
this particular observance until last month when I was in England with our
little pilgrimage group. Apparently it is an annual event – held all over the
world – to bring attention to the vulnerability of those who ride bicycles. Three of us had spent the day at the museums and
decided it would be best to take a cab to Westminster Abbey for Evensong in
order to get there on time. My
companions shall remain anonymous unless they decide to identify
themselves. (Of course, some of you
already know who they are…) As we
approached Trafalgar Square, I looked out the cab window and caught a glimpse
of someone riding a bicycle. He was, as my granny used to say, ‘buck
nekkid’. “There’s a naked guy on a
bicycle back there!” I said to my companions. They were a little
skeptical. Well, they were skeptical
until the cab began to slow down.
There wasn’t
just one ‘nekkid’ guy on a bike. There
were hundreds. HUNDREDS!!!
The crowd was
mostly men, but there were a few women scattered hither and yon. They had stopped in front of Buckingham
Palace in order to sing happy birthday to Queen Elizabeth…in their birthday
suits. The cab had ceased to move.
Holy Mother
of Pearl. What does a priest do when
she’s wearing her clerical collar, accompanied by parishioners, and surrounded
by nude people on wheels? Well, first
she looks at them and says – if either of you take a picture of me with these
naked people, I will excommunicate you.
And then, well, she observes.
She observes
the cab driver dying of embarrassment.
She
contemplates blessing the crowd from the safety of the cab.
She decides
not to.
She observes
her traveling companions capturing the moment with complete and utter hilarity,
one of them declaring this to be “the most awesome cab ride ever!”
She laughs,
she giggles, and she’s awestruck that anyone would subject themselves to a
bicycle seat in a condition of undress.
She observes
the extraordinary diversity of creation and human—okay, mostly man--kind…with
amusement, amazement, shock, disbelief, and finally, ‘Oh Lord, enough
already!’.
And so, you
all must be wondering, what the heck any of this has to do with the kingdom of
heaven? Remember that Barbara Brown Taylor said to look for the extraordinary
in the ordinary.
So, let’s go
back to all of Jesus’ stories.
Multiplied harvests, great trees from small seeds, pearls and hidden
treasures…all of these are exaggerations.
None of it could have been expected.
I assure you, the sight of hundreds of unclad cyclists was very unexpected
and quite beyond the norm. The kingdom
of heaven takes us by surprise.
Forty years
ago this weekend, eleven brave women, a few brave bishops, and the presence of
the Holy Spirit said to the church “Our time has come.” The seeds planted by Philadelphia Eleven
paved the way for women’s ministries in the church to grow to great heights and
bear much fruit. Even our British
friends have finally grafted themselves to these branches. Who could ever have
expected so much in so little time. Surprise!
A sower who
distributes seeds everywhere is to be seen as an extravagant giver. What the
seeds become is up to the soil. Of
course, the meaning of this parable needed to be explained.
It wasn’t
completely understood by the disciples. Just
like not knowing the cause behind the bicycle ride kept me from fully
appreciating the message that was being sent.
“Be careful. We’re vulnerable. We have as much right to be here as you
do.”
Missiles are
fired and bombs explode across Israel & Gaza. Immigration policy is debated. People we
consider to be adults try to solve their differences by shouting at each other
and committing violence on each other. As we continue in these ridiculous
practices, our children look up to us with eyes filled with fear, eyes that are
being taught not to trust. The kingdom of heaven is still far off as long as we
refuse to acknowledge the vulnerable ones among us who just want to be loved
and deserve to inherit more than a life of continued anger and hatred. They
have as much right to be here as you and I do.
You know,
this nude parade on wheels probably only took about 15 minutes. But, as I reflect on it now, it’s scary how
quickly the novelty wore off and I was ready to get on to the next thing. I was a bit miffed to arrive at Westminster
Abbey so late that we had to sit in the overflow section and not in the
quire. I may have marveled at God’s
creation for a moment, but boredom followed closely. I could say the same thing about kivas in the
southwestern United States or one more automobile in the Henry Ford museum. If I’m honest with myself, I realize that I
do the same thing with God’s kingdom sometimes.
Each year rolls through with another stewardship campaign, another Vacation
Bible School, another EfM class…another….sermon. If I’m not careful, I can get trapped in a cab
full of cynicism and miss the indescribable show outside the window.
When I get
distracted by my own wants and desires I forget to look for the kingdom of God
in the ordinary stuff I encounter every day.
The ordinary becomes extraordinary when we search for God in it. It
becomes extraordinary as we reflect upon it.
It becomes extraordinary when we invest ourselves and our resources in
it. The ordinary becomes God’s kingdom
when we quit trying to control everything and appreciate the gifts God sends
our way…even when it derails our perfect plans to serve or worship. I
have to remember, also, that the kingdom of God – the shalom of God – is
exceedingly fragile.
Having said
that, though, if I do have another ‘most awesome cab ride ever,’ I really hope
it’s not clothing optional. I realize that in heaven everything will be
revealed, but ewwww.
(c) 2014 C. B. Park, all rights reserved
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