3 Lent/Year C
March 20, 2022
Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 63:1-8; Luke 13:1-9
Today we begin the 3rd week in Lent…a little over half-way through this season of Lent… a season in the church year that calls us to be intentional and mindful of what's going on in our lives, and in the lives of others... A season of reflection, looking at changes we might need to be making in our own lives; A season that calls us into letting go of unhealthy practices that separate us from the love of God, and those things that get in the way of us loving others; A season that invites us to take on new spiritual practices, to grow in our love for God, and for all of our neighbors...near and far...and as we explored the past couple of weeks….it’s a season that invites us to go deeper…into the roots of a new thing…
Following up on that thread of thought, I’ve been using this Lenten season, as an opportunity to intentionally share other voices, perspectives and stories with all of you to assist us in going a little deeper, to help re-orient our lives once again to find our way back home again, to God…a God of love, a God of forgiveness, mercy, grace and peace…A God who invites us to envision a world, where healing and hope are not only possible…but to envision a healing and hope that is already within us, being readied to rise up out of the ashes of death, out of the darkness of a cold, harsh winter season, strengthening us and equipping us, to bring forth signs of the promises and fruits of a new creation, a new season, a new day, a new opportunity, a new invitation to reach out in love to one another and all of creation, in all the ways, times, seasons, and places we can…
On this 3rd Sunday in Lent, we also we also mark today, as the Spring Solstice…marking the end of the winter season, and the beginning of spring…It provides another opportunity to mark this day, as a new beginning, a re-orienting ourselves to return to God…to put our trust, once again, in this God who is love: The One who hears and responds to our cries, who wipes the tears from our eyes, who is forgiving, compassionate, and merciful…The One who calls us beloved…
So, I turn now, to the story I want to share with you today…
In our gospel reading today, we heard the story about the fig tree. And, as any good story should do, it’s left us asking questions and wonderings about the meaning of the story for us today…where do we see ourselves in the re-telling of this ancient story? In the story I’m about to share, “The Legend of How the Maple Tree Found its Medicine” we will hear about some other kinds of trees, and birds…and as any good story should do, I hope it helps us to consider some more questions and wonderings…and helps us go a little deeper with a desire to understand the meaning of this story, and the connection to today’s gospel reading about the fig tree… and to ask ourselves once again.. where do we see ourselves in the re-telling of this ancient story?
The story arrived in my email this past week, sent out by Kaitlin Curtice, an indigenous author who was writing about some ways to mark the Spring Solstice this weekend…
In that email, she lifted up another indigenous author named Asha Frost, an Indigenous Medicine Woman and a member of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. (On the author’s website, it is further noted that, “Asha lives on Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee Territory, with her husband and two beautiful children, with whom she co-creates a better world for the seven generations to come.”)
Kaitlin shared the following excerpt from Asha’s new book (You are the Medicine) that just came out this week…In one of the chapters in the book, Asha reflects on her growing up, thinking back to the time of celebration for her ancestors around the spring solstice every year, what they called the Sugar Moon, Maple Season….
START OF STORY_______________________________________
This is the Legend of How the Maple Tree Found Its Medicine.
In the beginning, the Trees started as tiny seeds. In their seed state, they began to dream of what they could be one day. Pine shared that they wanted to offer a beautiful fragrance to the forest so that all who walked there would remember them. Birch spoke about traveling on the Water and dreamed of being transformed into material for a canoe. Oak was a hopeful being, believing that anything was possible, and they wanted to share that with all who found their acorns. When it came time for Maple to share, they found that they didn’t have a vision of their future.
The other Trees taunted Maple. “Without a dream for who you are becoming, you are worthless and insignificant.” Maple felt their heart sink; they felt lost and directionless. They wondered what was wrong with them. Why were they devoid of dream and vision? Were they even good enough to be a Tree? They felt like a fraud.
Of course, the cycles of nature continued, as they do, and Maple was watered by the rain and fed by the Sun. As they grew into a sapling and then a young tree, the birds watched Maple with curiosity. They could see the beauty that Maple carried and the potential they held. Every day they would come and try to uplift Maple. They surrounded the tree with love, friendship, and support. The birds tried to come up with some ideas for the vision of Maple’s becoming:
“Maybe you could bear fruit for the Animals,” said Cardinal. “Or perhaps you could provide shade for all our Kin,” offered Blue Jay. Maple wasn’t convinced. They had taken the criticism of their fellow trees deeply into their heart, and they simply couldn’t see beyond that. They thanked their bird friends for trying so hard to uplift them, but alas, their inner critic took over, and they felt stuck as an imposter.
The birds would continue to visit Maple daily, offering encouragement and support. One day, it was stormy, and a great wind swept into the Forest. It was so strong it carried the birds in its vortex, swirling them all around, lifting them, and then dropping them to the ground. Maple gasped as all of their beautiful bird friends fell to the Earth unconscious. Immediately, they scooped all the birds up with their loving branches and comforting leaves. Wrapping deep compassion around the birds, Maple began to weep. Maple cried tears of pain that had been stuck in their heart since they were a seedling. They shook with grief about all of the times the birds tried to tell them how beautiful they were, and they didn’t listen. Maple cried and cried and cried, their tears washing over the bodies of the birds.
Just when they thought they couldn’t cry any longer, something magical started to happen, the birds, soaked with the tears of the Maple Tree, started to come back to life.
They opened their eyes and began to sing the most beautiful songs. “You healed us with your tears, dear Maple!” They cried. “The Water that flows through your veins is magical! It’s sweet and nourishing nectar that can heal bodies and hearts. You are a Healer!”
Maple couldn’t believe it! The vision and dream of who they were meant to be finally manifested. Through the release of their pain and grief, they could finally see their gifts and worth. The fellow Trees, witnessing what had happened, gathered around Maple in awe. “We are deeply sorry that we harmed you with our words, dear sibling, we see you, we honor you.” From that day forward, the sap that flowed through Maple’s body would be Medicine for all that tasted it, and the Maple Tree stood in complete confidence, seeing that it was sweetness, not harshness, that would heal.
END OF STORY…
Lent is a time, that invites us to repent, to return to God, to ask for forgiveness, to let go of the pain and the grief, the feelings of helplessness, the harshness, the hatred, the frustrations attributed to uncertainty, the selfishness, the anger, and all the fears that keep us from believing and tasting the sweetness of belonging to God, and one another…. It’s a time to let go of the fears and doubts that keep us from taking the next step to co-creating a world with God, where healing and hope are not only possible…but to believe in the healing and hope that is already within us, is being readied, in this moment right now, to rise up out of the ashes of death, out of the darkness of a cold, harsh winter season, strengthening us and equipping us, to bring forth signs of the promises and fruits of a new creation, a new season, a new day, a new opportunity, a new invitation to reach out in love to one another and all of creation, in all the ways, times, seasons, and places we can…
And now to mark a new beginning, let us repent and return to God in prayer with this hymn:
HYMN after sermon: (H)152 - Kind Maker of the world, O hear
1 Kind Maker of the world, O hear
the fervent prayer, with many a tear
poured forth by all the penitent
who keep this holy fast of Lent!
2 Each heart is manifest to thee;
thou knowest our infirmity;
now we repent, and seek thy face;
grant unto us thy pardoning grace.
3 Spare us, O Lord, who now confess
our sins and all our wickedness,
and, for the glory of thy Name,
our weakened souls to health reclaim.
4 Give us the discipline that springs
from abstinence in outward things
with inward fasting, so that we
in heart and soul may dwell with thee.
5 Grant, O thou blessèd Trinity;
grant, O unchanging Unity;
that this our fast of forty days
may work our profit and thy praise!