LEAVEN AND MUSTARDSEED

 

Leaven and mustardseed

From but a mustard seed so small,
A tender shoot through earth did crawl;
By Hand of God, through sun and rain,
It rose through joy; it rose through pain.

At first so slight, scarce seen by eye,
Yet reaching upward to the sky;
Its branches widened far and free,
Till shrub became a mighty tree.

There birds of every feathered wing
Found place to rest and sweetly sing;
Their little nests were safely laid,
Within the shelter of its shade.

The fragile eggs, the downy young,
Were guarded where the branches hung;
And when the storm winds fiercely cried,
Within that tree they safe abide.

Beneath its boughs the weary came,
The poor, the pilgrim, worn and lame;
The labourer laid his burden down,
And rested there from field and town.

The children gathered joyful near,
With smiling hearts untouched by fear;
For God had made that shelter broad,
A living sign of grace from God.

So too the Church of Christ shall be,
A living, sheltering, holy tree;
For we, His Body, called by grace,
Must bear His Love in every place.

As leaven hidden in the bread
Moves softly through the dough widespread;
So must Christ’s Mercy gently move
Through all the world with truth and love.

What once began so passing small
Shall, by God’s blessing, nourish all;
As Scripture tells in words sublime,
Still echoing through age and time.

The mustard seed by Heaven sown
Became more vast than men had known;
And birds of air came from afar
To nest beneath its branches fair.

Thus are we sent through Baptism’s grace
To bring God’s Light to every place;
To dwell with sister, brother, friend,
And serve in love until life’s end.

Not set apart in prideful way,
But walking humbly day by day;
Co-existing in peace and care,
Simon-bearing each other’s cross with prayer.

Lord, let our hearts be rich in Thee,
Like branches of that blessed tree;
Till all our thoughts and works proclaim:
“Deus Meu” - God’s holy Name.

Then may the weary find their rest,
And frightened souls within us nest;
Till all creation comes to see
The Kingdom growing silently.

Poem inspired by Fr G.M.A. Jansen. (Norbert Jansen OP). p 13, Pro Veritate Vol V No. 12. Baptism and Co-existence. 15 April 1967

https://sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/archive-files/PvApr67.pdf

With thanks to sahistory.org.za

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Divine Blessing over the leafy tree"