Pastor’s Notes

I knew a mulberry trees as a kid growing up in south central Iowa. We had a magic one in our back yard.  It had strong old branches to set on to keep an eye on the rest of the property.  My siblings gave them different names as we climbed around that old tree.  Its purple berries left your mouth stained and your fingers and feet covered with a deep purple.  There was no hiding that you had been around that old tree.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus said, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Why would anyone want to throw it in the ocean? Maybe just for practice! My Dad wanted to get rid of that tree.  It was dirty work.  He got sick of cleaning up purple feet, fingers and mouths.  But I felt safe there, protected by it big old branches and purple berries.

I have often heard people say, “I wish I had stronger faith.” There have been times in which I have said the same thing myself. We usually make such statements during moments of distress such as serious illness, trauma or the loss of a loved one. Lord increase my faith, that “Mustard seed” faith that could hurl a mulberry tree to the sea?     The disciples asked Jesus for an increase of faith in response to several major challenges: scandals – the soul shattering kind, the call to forgiveness in impossible situations, and lepers, the untouchables every society pushes away. “Lions and tigers and bears,” how do you wait for the reign of God in the midst of all this?

“Lord may me an instrument of thy peace.” The beloved Peace Prayer wasn’t written by of St. Francis. But it carries his Spirit. Friar Thomas of Celano’s old story of St Francis and Bro. Leo at the edge of village says it just as well.  Francis says to Leo,  “Let’s go preaching.”  So they walked through the village to the other side then turned around and walked back in silence.  Finally Leo said Br. Francis I though we were going preaching.  Francis answered, “We just did.”

“Stir into flame the gift of God,” says the Letter to Philemon, that we received through the imposition of hands at baptism/confirmation. Mustard seed faith is planted in us at our baptism.   It is watered and cultured by family, friends and the worshiping community and so it grows. But great faith is already contained in the mustard seed. And there are no limits.  That’s what the mulberry tree means.  We tend to be preoccupied by size and quantity.  At the end of the day, there will be enough. “I have done my part,” St. Francis said, “May Christ teach you yours.” Happy St. Francis day.

A gentle week,
Fr. Michael Weldon, OFM

Adapted from Celebration’s Dn. Ross Beaudoin