Seeds and Hope

I’ve been writing a lot about my garden lately – a timely topic as we celebrate Thanksgiving weekend!

Much of what I planted last spring didn’t quite take off the way I had intended – or hoped! I have tried to leave things growing as long as possible, yet with the frosty temperatures coming this weekend, most of it is now in.

My squashes came in today let me just acknowledge how thankful I am that I am not relying on this crop to feed me through the winter!

Three pathetically small buttercup squashes were all that came in this fall. One was too tiny to have any flesh, the other two offered a total yield of half a cup (tasty, but tiny).

However; they also provided seeds for next year’s crop. Even the itty-bitty-quarter-sized squash had some viable seeds. So, one hopes for a different outcome next year!

The seeds are little pods of hope; they are a comfort for the future.

In a time of uncertainty in the world, when civility seems a lost art, when fear-mongering seems to be the solitary political platform, when conflicts are affecting thousands of people, when disasters are devastating communities… it is easy to sink into darkness, that place of sadness, apathy, or grief.

Yet the seeds prevail. And I believe that there are seeds of goodness that transcend the gardens; in our lives, in our relationships, in our actions, in our imaginations…

The seeds are there, even in the tiniest or darkest of places. I believe they are worth seeking out, and saving, and planting: so that they may grow.

And when the seeds of hope start growing, they start nourishing us – and perhaps this is how we will overcome the darkness that encroaches in the world.

Francis, Animals, and Connecting

October 4th marks the (liturgical) memorial of Francis of Assisi, sometimes called “the poor one of Christ”. Despite a wealthy family, he is noted for his voluntary poverty after a powerful conversion experience at age 20. He helped establish the Order of the Lesser Brethren (colloquially called Franciscans) in 1209 and a second order, the Poor Clares, with Clare of Assisi in 1212.

Committed to a life of simplicity and compassion, Francis came to understand God’s glory revealed in all of the natural order, and celebrated the gift of all creatures.

Some 8 centuries later, it is the connection with animals that has come to leave a mark on our society, with many faith communities marking a “Blessing of the Animals”: many focus simply on the pets that re brought in by congregants, others also include acknowledgement of the other animals active in our lives.

The Animal Blessing services also provide for us a bridge; in our modern world, it is a chance for us to welcome folks into a community for a time of prayer and connection. Animal lovers who do not have other connections to the church can feel at home bringing their beloved furry/feathered/finned critters to a time of joy and thanksgiving.

Imagine if every week our regular offering of praise and worship were to be so welcoming and encompassing with the broader community around us. How might we engage folks on non-animal Sundays? In what ways do we maintain connection each day?

Hopefully we might be as humble as Francis as we mold this animal ceremony around his feast day, and find new ways to connect with all those God puts in our path.