For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
˜ Mark 4:25
Jesus presents three more parables to his disciples in this passage, which follows the Parable of the Sower in the Gospel of Mark. This verse from the first parable used to be very confusing to me. It seems to be in direct opposition to the ideals in the Magnificat and other Scriptures, where God promises to cast down the mighty from their thrones and satisfy the poor. I wondered why God would take from those who have little.
By the time I entered the Convent at age 46, I had spent an entire lifetime praying, worshiping and studying Scripture. I knew that I still had a lot to learn from a scholarly and theological perspective, but I thought my prayer life was full to the brim. God would soon show me that I was wrong.
My Novice Director, Sister Barbara Jean, told me that I had much to learn about prayer. "But how could that be?" I asked, "I have prayed in every possible way, and I am as close to God as I'll ever be." In spite of my smug pronouncements, she insisted that I take prayer classes with various Sisters. I thought it would be a waste of time.
My devotion was deep and had expanded steadily over nearly five decades, but the more I learned, the more I realized I still had light-years to travel in the realm of prayer. I had thought there was a list of standard ways to pray, but my Sisters taught me that there are infinite ways of praying. Listening to music, making art and even knitting can be prayer if they are approached intentionally. Anything that brings us closer to God is prayer. I never knew that.
I also learned that the closeness I felt with God was fairly superficial. The years I have spent in prayer at the Convent have deepened that closeness and taught me that there is no limit to the depths of a relationship with God. I could pray for a lifetime and still grow closer every day.
Jesus' words show us that the more we pray, worship and learn, the more we will be given. God's love is infinite, and we can journey into that love, closer and closer, for eternity.
Reflect: What things bring you closer to God? Do you feel that you can go deeper into your prayer life?
This Lenten Meditation can be found at Episcopal Relief and Development