A very short reflection on Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23 by Alison Sampson

It’s the middle of winter. It’s been cold and miserable and my kids have been going through a particularly trying stage. Much more seriously, Frances has died, and Jill continues to be on leave, and we are yet to work through the ramifications of these two major episodes in our church life. Meanwhile, Merryl and Yvonne and Jill Edwards are all facing surgery, and no doubt others of us have difficult things going on.

So in light of tonight’s reading about the sower and the seed, I thought it would be a good time to stop and remind ourselves that we have been a church for 154 years now. These events reflect just one season of our church life together. It’s a difficult season, a bleak season, a wintry season, a long season – especially as our church is so small. But it is just a season, nevertheless, and spring will come.

And when it does, the lectionary reading tells us that good seed is planted everywhere. What affects how the seed grows is what sort of soil it is planted into. While we are going through this difficult season, when many plants are dormant and the outlook is bleak, it might be a good time for us all to reflect on the soil, and prepare it for whatever new seeds will be sown in the next season of growth. Will we let the soil be barren and fruitless? Will we let it be choked by poisonous weeds of bitterness and despair? Or will we do the hard work to prepare the soil, ready to grow the fruits of faith, hope and love?

While my husband was digging through some soil this morning, pulling out weeds and rocks and builders rubble and digging in compost and manure – ready for a Chilean guava no less – he found something special. Our almond tree is covered with blossom. It’s always the first of the fruiting trees to bloom. And under it, as he was digging, he found this new tree sprouting from an old almond which has been lying hidden in the soil since last year. I brought it here to show you all, and will place it here to remind us of the beautiful new shoots which are reaching through the dark earth even now.

And attached to the notice sheets, you will find another reminder. Each notice sheet has a couple of sunflower seeds for you to take home. You can place them on your mantelpiece or bedside table to remind yourself that, in a few months, spring will be here. When it comes, you can plant the seeds in good soil. And as you watch them grow, you might like to reflect on the good things are already germinating and growing in our life together. A new baby. New songs. New ways of singing. A new format for gathering. And whatever else God has in store for us, hidden for now but already germinating in the dark earth and about to break through into the light. Amen.