Helping the Seeds to Germinate

This Sunday’s gospel acclamation reads “The seed is the Word of God, Christ is the sower”. They are – literally – ‘down to earth’ images of the world and or the faith, which God wishes to make understandable to us.

Perhaps there is something to be said or even chuckled at about the seeming cycle that theology has gone through: the great transcendent God came down to earth and used tactile images – such as farming – to explain God’s self. Yet these simple parables have produced whole worlds, whole libraries, and whole theologies within Christianity. Then we try again to use tactile down to earth images to explain the worlds which the ‘down to earth parables’ created! The “smallest seeds” have become “the biggest shrubs”. They are a testament to the wonder of God and God’s desire to reveal more of God’s self, through them, to us. They are like a kaleidoscope – seemingly small, yet with the slightest turn of each age, they provide us new wonders and marvels, marvels that leave us silent and draw us deeper.

I have had the privilege of late in facilitating Catechetical sessions across the parish in which we have read (or come having read) a piece of assigned reading and let the seeds that were planted within us in our childhood germinate. It gives me delight to have explored with parishioners, various themes like, “Sin and Forgiveness”, “Mary”, “Christian Music”, “Christian Prayer styles” and watch the seeds sprout as “aha!” moments. The parish offers these Know Your Faith sessions across the parish on a weekly basis.

I always say to participants – bring your questions with you as well as your disagreements, that’s when the theology hits up against the reality of our lives. If you would like to deepen your sense of the faith you profess, the world as Christianity sees it, and the God whom you hope to spend eternity with, then come along! The hinterland communities have a stable attendance and need not RSVP; RSVPs at OLR are essential. Barring prior commitments, the program is as follows: 1^st Fridays, 9:45-10:45am at Landsborough | 3^rd Tuesdays 9:45-10:45am at Maleny | 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays 5-6pm at OLR.

See you in the week!

Fr. Francis