One Grain. One Seed.

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

 it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.      John 12: 24

 One grain of wheat. One seed.

This is an easy analogy for disciples in an agrarian age, but less so for those of us who forage for our food on gleaming supermarket shelves. Bet even if you failed botany, you know this: that one sunflower seed will produce one sunflower plant containing hundreds of seeds and one pumpkin seed will produce one pumpkin containing hundreds more pumpkin seeds. A seed must be buried (die) in order to bear fruit. 

So it is with us. In this analogy, Jesus us speaking not only about his own upcoming death and resurrection, he is speaking directly to you and to me,  In it, our Lord urges us to die to our own self-interests and to live into God intends for us to become. 

Dying and birthing are equally holy endeavors. In dying, Jesus gave himself up for us, and gave us new life. In dying to self, we choose to say "yes" to a new way of being.  Our first steps may be trepid, cautious, and yet with each tremulous step, GOd allows us to glimpse the world as it could be.  Each step deepens out rootedness in a world in dire need of sustenance and nourishment.  Each step draws us more deeply into the heart of Christ. 

This week, as we continue our journey int he wilderness, let us encourage one another to take yet another step as we journey toward wholeness and holiness.