Sixth Sunday after Epiphany – C1

Years C
Jeremiah 17:5-10

In memory of Molly Ivins: "They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes." So are folk who trust in their own strength and don't know how to extricate themselves from the very messes they have caused. Shrub folk are always causing an unintended consequence.

In light of the limitations of a shrub masquerading as a stately oak and a desert having lush dreams the prophet suggests another picture for us - trees by a stream.

With these two alternatives we come to the heart of the matter - deviousness not only happens, but abounds. A test is always running (and not just the annoying emergency broadcast test) to see which of these pictures we will choose - shrub or tree, desert or stream. Like it or not, each eventually bears consequences, bad or good.

= = = = = = =

"We are the people who run this country.
We are the deciders.
And every single day,
every single one of us
needs to step outside and
take some action to help stop this war.
Raise hell.
Think of something to
make the ridiculous look ridiculous.
Make our troops know we're for them and
trying to get them out of there."
[from Molly Ivins' last column]

a shrub sees itself
as substantial as a tree
when it finally meets a tree
it can see itself as it is

at this point there is hope
and so the call
comes to each to stand tall
that shrubs might see themselves

it is this gift of irony and satire
rightly applied to power
that lightens our souls enough
to put down strong roots

with a connection to
thousand year old aquifers
we are nourished
are not discouraged

when choice is willing to receive decision
we gather wisdom
from every direction of time
and we fear not to stand tall