Daily Office for 01/20/2011 – Gospel reading: Mark 4:21-34

Today’s Morning Prayer lessons presents us with a few short parables, beginning with the reasonable advice that one does not place a lighted lamp under a bushel basket. Beyond the concern that the basket will go up in flames, the parable means to teach that a light is intended to lighten its surroundings, not quietly live a peaceable life in solitude. This advice might seem rather obvious, but if we can imaginatively place ourselves in the role of the light we might find a certain level of discomfort with the attention and responsibility of sharing our gifts with others…24/7, as is the popular saying these days. The parables in Mark’s Gospel account that follow the “light & the bushel basket” parable emphasize this lesson – the growing seed and the might of the tiny mustard seed both point to the strength and vitality of appropriately nurturing one’s gifts as God intends.

Today we remember Fabian, Bishop of Rome and Martyr of the Church in the year 250. Fabian is famous for his election as Bishop because he was elected by the favor of the crowd that gathered to select the bishop – and Fabian was not even an ordained minister at the time. Although not familiar with all the details of church administration, he put his gifts to good work and was able to serve the people of Rome with great result. Never fearing to do what was required of him, Fabian was eventually martyred during the Christian persecutions ordered by Decius. Fabian is remembered as an example to us that we have been given gifts, for the good and happiness of our lives and for the good of others. But we must not be content to sit at home and quietly use our gifts…or not use them at all. We must boldly go into the world and share what has been given to us and, like a tiny mustard seed, the impact of our actions will make a mighty difference in the world.