Sermon by Felicity Thompson, Seminarian, 6/16/2024, Father's Day
Good morning!
This morning’s gospel is another parable told by Jesus describing the mysterious and autonomous growth of seeds. Once sown, the seeds grow by themselves - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head - we don't know how it happened. If we have been watching closely, we notice at some stage a plant is growing…
Let’s go down a rabbit hole for a minute. The mustard seed is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Jesus mentioned it and used this theme to explain to various groups, in their context, what He wanted them to know about the Kingdom of God. Like a father explains the same theme in the right context and at the appropriate age. Why did Jesus use the mustard seed in this parable? Why did He say it was the smallest seed? We know the seeds of orchids are microscopic, making them the smallest seeds. I am not going to address whether Jesus was right or wrong about the smallest seed. I believe that the mustard seed was the smallest seed the Israelites knew. Jesus' audience was familiar with the mustard seed. It is something they could relate to as everyone had access to it. After all, this was a community of farmers. The Israelites were more familiar with agricultural crops, not decorative plants like orchids.
The other day, I overheard a conversation, “One day you have a baby, years later you have a child going into first grade, middle school, high school and then college. Where did the years go? What happened? It’s a mystery!”
The growth of the kingdom of God is similar to these processes, emphasizing that God’s work often happens quietly, beyond our control or understanding. It leaves us thinking, “what happened?” At the right time, the harvest comes.
The mustard plant that came out of a tiny seed. Just like the child coming out of the womb. The mustard seed’s transformation from the smallest seed to the largest plant can be compared to the impact a father (or father figure) can have on his children’s lives. Small acts of kindness, wisdom, and love can grow into significant and lasting influences. The mustard plant also provides shelter for birds, symbolizing protection and care. Fathers are often seen as protectors and providers, creating a safe and nurturing environment for their families.
This aligns with the role of fathers and father figures in offering emotional, physical, and spiritual support to their children, helping them grow and thrive.
No competition, but I feel Father’s Day gets cheated compared to Mother’s Day. The truth is, not half as much money spent on Mother’s Day is spent on Father’s Day. Hallmark sells more cards on St. Patrick’s Day than on Father’s Day! If you go to the store today, Father’s Day cards are mixed up with cards for graduates, “get well soon” cards and “thinking of you” cards. Cards for Dad don’t even get their own aisle.
My father always told us every Summer, I am married to your mother, not four kids. So he had one ticket for each of us to visit an aunt or uncle. I knew he took great joy in being a father. He used to say, being a father made him a better man. Mothering is slightly different, there is a bond that is different. Where I was raised, you could call someone’s daddy any name but if you dared to say, ‘your Momma’ - watch out!
I remember opening the door to my parents’ room without knocking and observed my father praying for his business, praying for the church and praying for our family. He prayed all the time. He prayed as he drove out of the driveway with me sitting in the back of the car. He prayed as he drove through town. He prayed all the time. Today, when my car broke down, even when I am home, I call AAA. When I needed a ride, I called UBER. When I was sick recently, I called the number on the back of my insurance card and trusted the triage nurse would advise me on what to do. But there are some things that UBER, AAA and a nurse cannot help me with. So when things have gone south in my life, like my father demonstrated, I have trusted in the Lord.
Father’s Day has been a sad day for me over the years. You see, I took my time picking out a Hallmark card, poured my heart out in words, sealed the card and put a stamp on it. My father had been sick for a while, but I didn’t know how sick he was. He never got the card. What if I could write a letter to my father, telling him how the seed that he planted has grown. It would probably go like this -
Dear Dad,
As I sit down to write this letter, I find myself overwhelmed with memories and emotions I have experienced over the decades since you left us. It’s hard to believe that I am now in my fifties, a milestone that seemed so distant when I was just a 20-year-old girl grappling with the immense loss of you. I couldn’t see myself at this age, in this space without you by my side.
I think about you often, Dad. I wonder how different life might have been if you had been here to guide me, to share in my triumphs, and to comfort me during the challenging times. I miss our conversations about your construction projects that were always a labor of love; like the brick making machine you bought for the rural village enabling them to make red bricks as a way to make money out of their natural resources, no longer depending on handouts from missionaries and NGOs. And the well you involved another community in building so they could have a source of clean water instead of walking miles to get water from a not so clean source. I also remember the piece of land you purchased, gave a local farmer the task of planting every fruit and vegetable he could think of, had him irrigate the land and never fenced it. That one acre farm was in the middle of our neighborhood. The first year, the neighbors pillaged the farm, taking more than they needed for fear they wouldn’t have access if they didn’t take what they could right away. I remember your deafening silence when the farmer told you what happened. There was a second harvest the same year and the same thing happened again. You believed in patiently showing people how to be the best that they can be. By the time the garden produced fruit the third time, our community realized they should just take what they could use and leave the rest for others so that everyone would benefit and enjoy some of the harvest. By that third harvest, the garden belonged to everyone. Everyone started participating in weeding, watering and maintaining the garden. The garden was treated like it belonged to the community. Those were lessons of patience, generosity, empowering others, and love for our brothers and sisters.
Those lessons showed me how to empower others to build their homes, then look within their community for natural resources, (gifts from nature, you called it) that would sustain them. The lesson of the well reminds me of our readings about living water. We need water to live. Water is life. The community garden has taught me to share what I have and yes, I have gotten my hands dirty at several gardens planted at homes of friends and churches. Thank you for the life lessons.
I miss your laughter, your wisdom, and your unwavering support. Every anniversary of my birth you told me how beautiful I am and that I am wonderfully made. You made sure you taught me that God is in control, God will provide for me, God will protect me. You acknowledged God is in my life.
So much has happened since you’ve been gone. I’ve grown into a woman who, I hope, you would be proud of. I’ve faced challenges head-on, drawing strength from the lessons you taught me in the short time we had together. Your words and actions have left a mark on my heart, and I carry them with me every day.
I remember the way you used to make me feel safe and loved, no matter what. Those memories have been my anchor through the stormy seas of life. I know you’re praying with me, encouraging me as I face this challenging discernment. I wish you could see the person I’ve become, meet the people I love, and witness the life I’ve built. There have been moments of great joy and deep sorrow, and through it all, I’ve felt your presence with me.
On this Father’s Day, I want to honor you not just as my father, but as the man who shaped so much of who I am. Your absence has been a profound void, but it has also been a source of strength. I’ve learned resilience, empathy, and the power of love because of you.
I hope you know I remember most of the things you showed me, and how much you are missed and cherished. Your legacy lives on in the stories I tell, the values I uphold, and the love I share with others. Thank you, Dad, for the time we had and for continuing to inspire me every day. I must confess that I wish you could hold my hand just one more time.
Let’s lift up in prayer and honor the fathers and father figures in our lives and show each other, by example, that our fathers and father figures are important members of God’s Kingdom.
Senator CORY BOOKER said, "Don't speak to me about your religion; first show it to me in how you treat other people. Don't tell me how much you love your God; show me in how much you love all God's children. Don't preach to me your passion for your faith; teach me through your compassion for your neighbors. In the end, I'm not as interested in what you have to tell or sell as I am in how you choose to live and give."
Show me, show me, show me!
Amen