Apr 2 2019 Mark 4:26-32 Celebration of James Lloyd Breck

He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.

This morning, we commemorate another lesser-known saint in the church. By saint, I don’t mean Saint, like someone who’s performed miracles, or been deemed an official Saint by the Church. In addition to those recognized Saints, we believe all people of God who die are saints, maybe not recognized, but worthy of an examined life. 

James Lloyd Breck was an extremely important missionary in the Episcopal Church. Upon reading that, I imagined far-flung mission fields. However, he was a missionary in the early 1800’s, so his mission field wasn’t so far. He initially went to the wilds of Wisconsin, founding a seminary there which still exists. He went to Minnesota, and founded another seminary which ultimately became Seabury-Western, in my hometown. Finally, he landed in the far reaches of California, and founded churches in Benicia and beyond. 

The reading today is about that mustard seed, which has many cameo roles in Jesus’ parables. Today, we hear about the story of the mustard seed, which is small enough to be scattered, grows with some unseen force, and ends up big enough to house the birds of the air in its branches. 

James Lloyd Breck was like this. A little known guy, who at age 16 committed himself to a life of mission work. He was scattered all over the Midwest and Western wilds of the US, which during his time was all known as ‘territories’. He worked to found schools so others could learn, founded churches so others could worship. Since his time, thousands have landed on the branches of the mustard seeds he sowed. 

This morning, I’m struck by the universal commonness of James Lloyd Breck. Unlike some of the saints that seem so distant, and their greatness seems so unattainable, I feel like I could do something like James Lloyd Breck. Or maybe better yet, I feel like the things I do, could be seen like that little mustard seed that’s scattered, grows, and harbors birds. I don’t say this because of anything special I’ve done, and I’m definitely not trolling for affirmations. If done for God and by God’s grace, we can all do great things. And we may never know what birds will find rest in the branches of the seeds we plant. 

I attended a Wednesday morning Eucharist at one of his churches in the Bay Area, nearly 200 years after him, during a time when I needed a rest from an extended visit with extended family with extended challenges. It was the perfect mid-week refreshment. 

What seeds can I sow today that God can nurture? How can what I do today be that needed rest for someone decades or centuries after I’m gone? Is it something with my family? Coworkers? Something I’ve said or done? To a friend or a stranger?  I believe the answer is yes.