Letting Go in the Season of Creation
As we continue our Season of Creation, reflecting on how our trickles of concern, prayer, and action combine with those others from churches all around the world to become God’s mighty river of justice and peace, we are invited to reflect on what the Reign or Kingdom of Heaven on this world might look like? In the shadow of life-threatening climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution what is it we pray for every time we pray that “God’s will be done on earth as in heaven.”
Paul in his letter to the churches in Rome reminds us that all of creation groans and writhes under the crushing weight of human sin, neglect and indifference. God’s Spirit is within the groaning, yearning for us and within us, yearning for true community for all creation, yearning for all that is held in the covenant to be fulfilled. We are to work with God in giving birth to God’s community, trusting and hoping that even when not a lot seems to be happening that God is at work, the yearning of the Spirit of God will bring all things to good.
Our scripture readings also invite us to let go of what we have known and to see the reign of God in new ways. In Matthew Jesus uses images and similes which confused and perplexed, and invited all who heard to see the world and the reign of God in the world in some very new ways. Stories of seed scattered, weeds sowed amongst a good crop, gorse like mustard seeds deliberately sown, yeast hidden in unleavened four. These all defy common sense! He talks of treasure hidden by one and found by another who sells all he has to have it, a merchant seeking and finding fine pearls, and dragnetting. All these contradictory images help us his hearers know where to look for the kingdom, to know when we are experiencing the reign of heaven happening around us and in us. And they invite us to reflect on what we need to let go of for the reign of heaven to increase. For me in this season of creation, that includes our dependence of fossil fuels and how we have done things in the past. And for some of us that might mean letting go of our reliance on our cars. It is time to find ways of living that all life might thrive.
Like Paul the Psalm reminds us of the eternal faithfulness of God through retelling the history of the people of God. A God who builds a new people. We are called to that same faithfulness. When we build community that allows all people and all creatures to flourish, we are faithful.
In this Season of Creation, how would you describe the reign of heaven from your experience of it? What images or stories would you tell?
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