First Breath

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air, blessings, breath, depths of life, John Philip Newell, Praying With the Earth, rain, soil, soul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Here’s a prayer-poem from John Philip Newell that we might might save and pull out on days when the air is heavy with the rain of the night or the scent of the soil that makes one want to go out and dig in the dirt. (Or is it just me?)

It is in the depths of life that we find you, at the heart of this moment, at the centre of our soul, deep in the earth and its eternal stirrings. You are the ground of all being, the Well-Spring of time, Womb of the earth, the Seed Force of stars. And so at the opening of this day we wait not for blessings from afar but for You, the very Soil of our soul, the early freshness of morning, the first Breath of the day.  (Praying with the Earth, p. 18)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Harvest of Perseverance

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fertile soil, generous heart, harvest, hear, keep the word, Matthew, perseverance, share, soil, sowing seed, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, understand

Yesterday someone brought us four large summer squash from their abundance and the vegetable farm down the road had many boxes ready to ship from their crop as well. That’s pretty common around here in the summer. Even if you only have one summer squash plant, you are bound to share in the end as the yield is always heavy. On the other hand, I was trying earlier in the week to plant two small pots of flowers and I encountered lots of stones (not uncommon on our land) and all sorts of ants and other bugs. I’m still not sure if they will survive.

This morning’s gospel is the one about the sower sowing seed in four different kinds of soil: the path (i.e. the road), rocky ground, soil among thorns and rich soil – all indicators of how we hear the word of God. It harks back to yesterday when I talked about open eyes and ears open to hear the word of God. All four kinds of “soil” hear the word this morning but it is only the rich soil that hears and understands the word which yields a good harvest. (MT 13:18-23) Implied is the importance of listening deeply but there’s another additive, found in the acclamation that precedes this gospel. It says: “Blessed are those who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” That says to me that even if you have the best soil in the world it’s likely you will need to pay attention to all sorts of conditions so you’ll water the crop sufficiently and fertilize if need be. Sometimes it seems as if something I plant will never grow. I kept a plant of mistaken identity for six years because it kept putting out a leaf or two every year. When we transplanted it finally, it flourished into a large hibiscus rather than the hydrangea that was ordered! Clearly, perseverance does pay eventually!

In the Midst of Little Miracles

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buds, Earth, fresh air, garden, gardening, joy, miracles, psalm 100, soil, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

This morning my intention is to get outside early to work in my garden patch a bit and then to “play pick-up-sticks” gathering all the branches strewn all over the land by winter and early spring winds. That way I’ll be able to mow the lawn unhampered this afternoon when the temperature rises above normal, making the effort of this morning’s tasks prohibitive. One has to plan WITH the earth for greatest efficiency – as she can be capricious and always wins the spontaneity game. But how I love the days when I am able to be outside in the midst of little miracles: the feeling of the fresh air, the scent of newly turned soil, the bursting of buds! Today I will sing with the psalmist as I walk out the door: “O, lands of the earth, fill up with joy, and overflow in the service of your God. Come before the holy presence, singing…” (Ps. 100:1)