Real Mission: Manna in the Wilderness
Back in April, during Holy Week, my husband Chris and I decided to distract ourselves from the deep sadness we felt about missing Easter with all of you by taking on a little project. From our pantry we gathered up seeds and legumes of many varieties, draped them in wet paper towels, and put them the windowsill, so that the light could shine down on them and cause new life to grow.
Over the course of the week, the little seeds began to germinate and sprout and as Easter week unfolded, we saw new life where death and drought had been before. It was Easter incarnate.
Don’t get me wrong, I still missed the brass instruments and hats and Alleluias, but this small act reminded me on a deeply personal level why Easter is so important in our lives. In all of our lives.
This week, those little seeds, some herbs we bought along the way, plants given by friends, and tomato vines gifted by neighbors have brought forth a beautiful harvest from what we affectionately call our ArmaGarden. This small plot of fertile soil near our home has been a great source of joy in this trying time. It reminds us that God is merciful and full of compassion. It reminds us of our utter dependence on God and it calls on us to be curators of creation.
“Who plants a seed beneath the sod, and waits to see, believes in God.” -Unknown
Many of our neighbors and friends have been perplexed by our commitment to growing some of our own food and wonder how we haven’t gotten sick of lettuce wraps yet. In the city, gardening can often feel like a very “country” thing to do, or so we’ve been told, but watching them snack on sweet cherry tomatoes has been like watching someone read the Bible for the first time. “Oh, this is what you’re talking about!” It’s a vegetable epiphany.
I’ve heard it said that God’s original plan was to live in a garden with naked vegetarians. So, it seems appropriate that we consider how being stewards of God’s great abundance is an act of mission. How does growing a garden, and sharing the harvest, make you an evangelist?
This next part may require the use of Google maps. If you would, open another tab her in your browser and search for the nearest grocery stores to your home. The nearest grocery store to my home is Aldi on Ridge Road. It is 1.2 miles from my front door. The next closest is the Kroger Marketplace in Oakley. That one is 3.2 miles away. I shop there all the time. I have never walked there, and I have never ridden the bus there. Honestly, if I didn’t have my car, and the means to fill the gas tank, I have no idea how I would get groceries for my family each week.
Where is the nearest grocery store to your house?
Last year, while playing a friendly game of Pokeno with some of my friends at Madison Villa (our Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS) partner community) it came up in conversation that my family was Greek. “Oh, I used to know a little old Greek guy in the neighborhood!” declared Miss V. “He was the cutest. He used to own the grocery store here in Madisonville. But that closed, and now we don’t have anything like that here.” Turns out, the closest grocery store to downtown Madisonville is the Kroger in Oakley, where I shop all the time. But here’s the thing, many of our neighbors in Madisonville either have to walk there or plan their day to be able to take the bus. I found myself wondering how I would make that work with a full-time job and two kids in tow.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. -Matthew 5:6
Yes, but how are empty bellies filled?
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. -John 4:31-35
The fields are ripe for harvesting. There is an abundance to be shared. Love can sprout from nurtured seeds. The Christian believes that in the cold dark tomb of the earth, new life is waiting to break forth.
The fields are ripe for harvesting. There is an abundance to be shared. Love can sprout from nurtured seeds. The Christian believes that in the cold dark tomb of the earth, new life is waiting to break forth.
No one should have to wander around in a food desert, but many find themselves there. The lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables makes nutrition a commodity reserved for those who have the means to access it. But what about our neighbors that don’t have cars? What about those who work multiple jobs while the buses are running? What could you do to ensure that all are able to enjoy the benefits of the harvest that God has given?
Where is the manna at a time like this?
