While picking berries, Robin Wall Kimmerer found herself surrounded by Cedar Waxwings, Catbirds, and Bluebirds. She laughed as the birds cackled, and together they gorged themselves on the thick clusters of red, blue and purple fruit. Kimmerer was filling her pale at her neighbor’s invitation. The birds were there at the berries’ behest, filling their bellies and spreading seeds. There was enough for everyone and joy at the unexpected bounty. Kimmerer, an Indigenous botanist and bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass, tells this story in her latest book The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World. Building on Indigenous tradition and the wisdom of the natural world, she wonders if the concept of scarcity, which lies at the backbone of capitalism and Western civilization, is socially constructed. In this book, she asks: What if we built ourselves around a gift economy, where the goal is mutual flourishing, gratitude and reciprocity? I found myself lingering on these themes of scarcity and bounty as I read the Bible passages for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany. Isaiah 61:1-8, Psalm 138, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, and Luke 5:1-11 all tell the story of revelation and abundance. They each, in their way, push against the common Western wisdom that power is something to be hoarded, traded and manipulated for your benefit. There is a larger order to the universe, these passages tell us — one that calls us to put God’s will, which is love and relationship, at the center of all we do. In today’s gospel text, Jesus encounters Simon Peter, James and John in their workplace. Using the skills and tools at the fishermen’s disposal, Jesus reveals that, through him, there is abundance beyond what we can even imagine. Where there was no catch, Jesus demonstrates that God provides more fish than our boats can hold. This revelation takes some risk on behalf of the disciples. Their nets – the symbols of their identity and livelihood – break in the process of reeling in the fish. But this realization opens them to a new identity, a new way of being. The fishermen humble themselves (Luke 5:8,11) and they follow Jesus in his ministry. Similarly, the Isaiah and 1 Corinthians passages also tell stories of encountering the magnificence of God and responding with wonder and humility. ...
Thank you to this week's writer Rose Schrott Taylor. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. | 
2024 Advent Resources Advent Candle Litanies “Hope: The First Sunday of Advent” “Peace: The Second Sunday of Advent” “Joy: The Third Sunda...
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