This morning I did something a little different and decided to do my rosary outside. As a member of the MMP I also read from what we affectionately call the Blue Book. As I began praying the breeze was blowing and birds were chirping. It was possibly one of the most relaxing moments of my life. How blessed I am! See, my little garden is made possible because of my mother and a dear generous anonymous friend that gifted me enough to get growing. None of what I’ve been able to do would have been possible without their loving gifts and wisdom. Each year I’ve been able to add a little more, learn a little more. I’ve suffered losses when the landlord sprayed and I lost all my tomatoes and other produce. I was heartbroken and almost gave up. This year thankfully we were able to spot him and move all my potted plants first. Again a lot would have been lost had it not been for David, my second son, seeing him and letting me know so we could move everything before it was sprayed. Today was a day of reflecting on that and adding a few more goodies, Swiss chard, more cauliflower, basil, and pansies....well, you get the idea.
You know our relationship with God is like a garden. Some of us start with a very clear plan. Me, well, I’m more the ‘hope it works’ variety. This has some major drawbacks and some clear advantages. Sometimes things don’t work, and I’m out time, and money, but I gain knowledge. Sometimes they work so well I get overwhelmed and can’t possibly use all that I’ve been given so I share. (My squash last year.) No matter what type of gardener you are though it’s impossible to know everything that will happen. In my past I did not have a good track record with plants. I actually joked and said my thumb was not only not green it was positively black! Things got in the way and I’d forget they were there. One day I’d go to water them and they would be dead, much like faith if we don’t water it with prayer and works of mercy. We know faith without works is dead. Just like my plants in the past. We can’t expect growth just by finding Jesus and then leaving him alone and forgetting about Him. We have to plant our faith with the word of God, weed our faith with rooting out sin, water our faith with prayer and praise, and lastly we are called to share what God has planted within us. When we share we are often given new seeds to plant so our garden becomes more useful. The more we all do this the more seeds we will have to plant for the next season, the more wisdom we will have to navigate the storms and droughts, the more watchful we become over new growth (both ours and the growth of others). As we grow the more He can use us until, in His time, His garden reaches the entire world! He doesn’t need us, but what a joy it is to be part of the Kingdom and entrusted to share the bounty of heaven! We the ones who ate the forbidden fruit, we the ones who left Jesus alone in the garden of Gethsemane, we who crucified Him and left Him to die, we are forgiven and we have been given the great joy of being a part of His plan here on earth. All we have to do is work in the garden and keep our eye on heaven.
