Holy Communion for the Third Sunday after Trinity: celebrant the Revd Tola Badejo
Junior Church takes place at the same time in the hall.

First reading: Ezekiel 17: 22–24
Gospel: Mark 4: 26–34

The Old and New Testament readings today both use symbolism drawn from nature, in particular the way that small cuttings or tiny seeds can grow into mighty trees. Because these processes are a normal part of our experience, it's easy to forget how wonderful they are. Both Ezekiel and Jesus use growth in nature as a metaphor for faith, growing within and between individual believers until a great kingdom comes into being.

The kingdoms they have in mind are not the same, however, at least on a literal level. Ezekiel was writing at a time when Israel had been totally and brutally crushed, the Temple destroyed, and the people exiled by Nebuchadnezzar with the intention that the government, society, religious system and royal line that sustained Israelite identity would never be restored. The despair of the Israelites is encapsulated in Psalm 137: 'By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept', the theme of the painting by Evelyn de Morgan above. In the metaphor of the cedar tree, Ezekiel encourages his people (having pointed out elsewhere that they have only themselves to blame) that through faith in and obedience to God their kingdom can and will arise again. Jesus explicitly refers to the Kingdom of God rather than an earthly kingdom, one that will embrace not only the whole of humanity but the whole of creation.

Looked at another way, the passages remind us never to think we don't have enough to make a difference - not enough faith, money, education, patience or whatever quality or resource we are lacking. The little we have, put to work, can lead to great things - it takes a long time to grow a cedar tree.