A space for a contemporary woman disciple to give voice to justice concerns in a world where some still think that women’s words are just leros (Greek for “nonsense”) or, in Spanish, disparates
Scatter seed
A reflection and confession based on Mark 4:26–29
by Magdalena I. García
He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” —Mark 4:26–29
We plow our field,
turning the dirt over and over,
hoping for maximum aeration.
We water our field,
irrigating the furrows over and over,
hoping for maximum hydration.
We fertilize our field,
feeding the seedlings over and over,
hoping for maximum growth.
We surround our field,
protecting the crops over and over,
hoping for maximum yield.
We plow, water, fertilize, and enclose,
excessively obsessing
with our own patch,
naively forgetting
God loaned us the land,
repeatedly neglecting
to give the starving a hand.
But all the while the Gospel clearly says,
“Scatter, spread, sprinkle, sow.”
Scattering God, free us from the anxiety
that leads us to hoard.
Spreading God, free us from the illusion
that leads us to control.
Sprinkling God, free us from the avarice
that leads us to retain.
Sowing God, free us from the paralysis
that leads us to withhold.
Scattering, Spreading, Sprinkling, Sowing God,
come now, come again,
to plow, water, fertilize, and surround
the degraded soil of our hearts.
Magdalena I. García is a PC(USA) teaching elder and a hospice chaplain for Vitas Healthcare in Chicago. She is a graduate of McCormick Theological Seminary and a recipient of the 2008 PC(USA) Women of Faith Award. For permission to use content, write to magdalenagarcia@comcast.net.
Arroja semilla
Una reflexión y confesión basada en Marcos 4:26-29
por Magdalena I. García
Jesús dijo también: “El reino de Dios es como cuando un hombre arroja semilla sobre la tierra: ya sea que él duerma o esté despierto, de día y de noche la semilla brota y crece, sin que él sepa cómo. Y es que la tierra da fruto por sí misma: primero sale una hierba, luego la espiga, y después el grano se llena en la espiga; y cuando el grano madura, enseguida se mete la hoz, porque ya es tiempo de cosechar.” —Marcos 4:26–29
Aramos nuestro campo,
volteando la tierra vez tras vez,
esperando la máxima aireación.
Regamos nuestro campo,
irrigando los surcos vez tras vez,
esperando la máxima hidratación.
Abonamos nuestro campo,
alimentando las plantitas vez tras vez,
esperando el máximo crecimiento.
Cercamos nuestro campo,
protegiendo la cosecha vez tras vez,
esperando el máximo rendimiento.
Aramos, regamos, fertilizamos y cercamos,
obsesionándonos excesivamente
con nuestra propia parcela,
olvidando ingenuamente
que Dios nos prestó la tierra,
descuidando repetidamente
darle a los hambrientos la mano.
Mientras tanto el evangelio claramente dice,
“Arroja, propaga, esparce, siembra”.
Dios Arrojador, líbranos de la ansiedad
que nos lleva a almacenar.
Dios Propagador, líbranos de la ilusión
que nos lleva a controlar.
Dios Esparcidor, líbranos de la avaricia
que nos lleva a retener.
Dios Sembrador, líbranos de la parálisis
que nos lleva a denegar.
Dios Arrojador, Propagador, Esparcidor, Sembrador,
ven ahora, ven de nuevo,
para arar, regar, abonar y cercar
la tierra degradada de nuestros corazones.