Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Many years ago I fell in love with a children’s book, “Hope for the Flowers” by Trina Paulus. It is a story about life, transformation and hope. When I read the first reading from Isaiah, this book came to mind. The hope for all of creation is joyfully proclaimed in this scripture. As radical disciples of love, Jesus sends us forth to bring hope and healing to people as well as the world we live in.
In the reading from Isaiah, there is abundance and goodness throughout all of nature. The wheat is rich and abundant, there are spacious meadows for the flocks to feed, the streams are filled with running water, and the sun and moon shine brightly. In the midst of this, God “binds up the wounds of his people” and brings them healing.
Jesus is also bringing healing and wholeness to the world in today’s gospel reading. He sends out the disciples as “laborers for his harvest.” He directs them to “cure every disease and every illness.” He sends them forth to bring the Kingdom of heaven, and reminds them that all that they have has been given “without cost.” With a generous spirit the disciples are sent to give abundantly just as God has given.
Where are we (radical disciples of love) called to give in abundance to others and our world? The world around us- all of nature- the flowers, trees, air, mountains, rivers, stars… have all been given to us without cost. God has given to us in abundance, and yet we do not always receive and use these blessings as gifts. As disciples of Christ, I believe that we are called to care for all of creation- the water, our resources, the air. These gifts have been given not for our possession, but for our use and sharing with all. As Isaiah paints a picture of what the Kingdom of God will be, there is a sense of plenty for everyone and joyful celebration that all will have enough. With this sense of communal giving and receiving, healing and wholeness is given from God.
Jesus is moved with pity for the crowds in today’s gospel because the needs of this world are great, and there are so few “laborers” to send to do His work. If each person, would choose to do one thing to help care for our creation, these many small acts of love could add up to significant healing not just for creation, but also for all of God’s people who live today and in future times. Being mindful of our water and energy consumption, recycling, composting, not buying more than we need, and finding small ways to reuse what we have are just a few simple ways that as disciples we can help to bring wholeness and healing to the world around us. Since we are connected to our world for our survival and health, it is vital that we make choices that allow God’s gifts to be used and enjoyed by all for this generation and for those to come.
In “Hope for the Flowers”, the 2 caterpillars in the story recognize that hope for the flowers comes at the expense of them “dying to self” as they weave a cocoon to become beautiful butterflies. Without their chosen “death” and transformation to new, the caterpillars are unable to provide the necessary sharing of pollen that the flowers need for survival. Our choices to care for nature may involve denial and dying to things that we are accustom to use and enjoy, but as disciples we can give hope to the world and all people through our actions of love. In our love of creation, we in fact “Praise the LORD,” as we gratefully recognize the giver of all that is good!
In the encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis urges us to put our faith into action. “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.” To be radical disciples of love we are called to care for all of God’s creation. “The universe unfolds in God, who fills it completely. Hence, there is a mystical meaning to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face. The ideal is not only to pass from the exterior to the interior to discover the action of God in the soul, but also to discover God in all things.” (Pope Francis) May we find God in all things and bring hope not only to the flowers, but to all of creation.
- Marylynn Herchline