little seeds

“It is quiet, humble, stealth acts that change things.”

                               Rob Bell (Velvet Jesus)

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

                               St. Teresa of Calcutta (attributed)

“Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love,  for they enkindle and melt the soul.”

                               St. Teresa of Avila

“Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.”

                               St. Therese of Lisieux

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Rob Bell, in his book the Velvet Elvis, talks about the need to live according to a new script. 

The script of servanthood rather than power

The script of generosity rather than greed

A daunting task

But the fact is getting started down this path doesn’t have to be dramatic. 

It doesn’t have to involve going to India,

selling all we have,

doing what we often thing of as “big things”. 

Bell writes, “I am learning that the church is at its best when it is underground, subversive, and counterculture.  It is quiet, humble, stealth acts that change things.”

He tells of a woman who moved into a rough neighborhood, so that she could tutor children and work with families.  As she worked with families she began to understand how impoverished they were, and she began to put together lists of things they needed.  Things like heat, underwear, appliances, food.  She started to circulate the lists among her church family until they found people who could provide for the needs, every one of them.  Bell ends the story with this statement. 

“Jesus lives, here’s a toaster!”

In the Advent carol, “People look East”

(which we sang a month ago)

there is a recurring refrain…

Love is on the way

Love the guest,

love the rose,

Love the bird,

Love the star,

love the Lord

is on the way

What I believe is that we are how love arrives

Love is on the way here’s a toaster.

Love is on the way, here’s some firewood.

Here is a casserole

Here is a mattress

Love is on the way, I am here to listen

Love is on the way, I care, I accept, I forgive

When the Spirit is in us, when our hearts are soft

It starts to happen…..

Sharing

Equality

Encouragement

Love

Acceptance

Humility

When the Spirit is in us

When our hearts are soft it is possible

Love begins to be born

Friends, the seed of the sacred

lurks within us,

this little seed of the Spirit

waiting to be born

waiting for us to nourish it

and let it grow,