The kingdom of heaven is like ...

The flowers shown here are in my yard, not far from the fig tree, after a recent rainstorm. Christ compares the flowers of the field to Solomon in all his splendor -- and tells us that in comparison, Solomon falls short.

One thing I appreciate about Christ's teachings is that they are very much in touch with life and in touch with the earth. He explains faith with images of wildflowers and birds. And the kingdom of heaven, he tells us, is like fishermen at their nets, like shepherds with their sheep, like farmers planting grain. The kingdom of heaven, he tells us, is like an herb garden, or like a woman baking bread, or like workers in a vineyard. The kingdom of heaven is like a rare pearl; it is like buried treasure. It is like a wedding feast. The pictures he uses are very much alive, and stir up in us the desire for this kingdom of heaven.

This is not only to explain the kingdom of heaven in ways we can understand. It is also to remind us of the good in this world. Despite all the ways in which we have harmed the world and each other, still many things in this world remain like the kingdom of heaven.

To compare the kingdom of heaven to these things is to pronounce a blessing on farmers and fishermen and wedding feasts as things that already foreshadow the kingdom of heaven.