...wild birds and a large tub of flour...

An oasis of peace and sanity, for me, in our sometimes chaotic life has been pray as you go by the Irish Jesuits. It's a daily, online, guided prayer that brings new life to ancient Hebrew and Christian sacred texts and, for me, a space for shalom.

The other day, October 30th, the scripture reading was from Luke 13:18-21. I heard, for the first time in these verses, an expansive vision of the kingdom, or realm, of G-d. Here's the text from the New Century Version [modified with inclusive language]:

Then Jesus said, "What is God's kingdom like? What can I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed that [someone] plants in [their] garden. The seed grows and becomes a tree, and the wild birds build nests in its branches." Jesus said again, "What can I compare God's kingdom with? It is like yeast that [someone] took and hid in a large tub of flour until it made all the dough rise."

The guide invited me to think about which image strikes me and why. Which affects you? What do you visualize when you hear these words aloud?

As I listened with a peaceful, open, spirit and mind, the image of wild birds building nests in the branches of this wild tree that grew from a tiny seed - wild birds with names like hindu, buddhist, jewish, muslim, christian, and lesser known birds - flew into my mind with no resulting confusion or fear. I have no need to tame this wild kingdom.

If you have ten minutes, this is worth it. Make sure you have quiet, uninterrupted, space.

PAYG 10/30/2012.mp3