Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”
I admit that I’ve never seen a mustard seed. Nor have I seen a fully-grown mustard plant. I must, therefore, take Jesus at his word when he says that a mustard seed can grow into a plant large enough to support a flock of birds. But I have seen the seed of a Pin Oak tree. The Pin Oak produces the smallest acorn of all the oaks, no bigger than the fingernail on your smallest finger. But that acorn contains everything needed to produce a towering oak tree. The Pin Oak begins its life as a tiny seed and will spend its 120-year life reaching for the sun, the source of its very being. During its life it will provide food, refuge, and shelter for hundreds of animal species, each dependent on the tree in its own unique way.
What a perfect metaphor for human faith! Faith begins as a small seed within us. Like an oak tree reaching for the sun, faith compels us to reach for God, the source of our very being. And as we reach towards God, faith nurtures us, shelters us, and protect us.
I’ve come to think of the myriad of human faith traditions as the branches of a great tree of faith. One major branch represents the Abrahamic spiritual traditions; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Another branch represents the traditions of the Eastern world; Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Yet another represents the traditions of the Indian subcontinent; Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism. And while the beliefs and practices of these traditions vary widely, they are all an expression of the universal human need to touch the infinite. And like the Pin Oak sustains life within its branches, the tree of faith shelters us all, nurtures us all, and, most importantly, unites us all.
PRAYER
Lord, since the beginning of time humanity has reached for you. And in your love for us all you responded. You touched unique peoples, at unique times, in unique places, within unique cultures, in unique ways. And in doing so, you gave birth to the innumerable spiritual traditions we see today. In a world that seeks to divide, where violence against “the other” is all too common, we pray for the wisdom to see that which transcends our differences. Focus our hearts on what binds us together and to you – faith. Give us the courage to reach out, in faith, to our spiritual brothers and sisters. May our shared faith be a beacon of strength and unity among all people.
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