Soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all.
~Wendell Berry
Welcome to the first week of lent. We begin our journey in the soil. It is not just dirt. Soil has many qualities that sustain and anchor the roots. It supports the plant's access to water and nutrients. The vine is dependent on the soil and without it there would be no life in the vine. The perfect soil for grape growing is loose, aerated and well-drained. In particular, the soil should keep enough water for the vine and drain excess water to avoid over-saturation. Soil is alive and full of microorganisms. These hidden organisms transfer water, nutrients and chemicals between plants and allow plants to communicate with each other.
The importance of healthy soil for the life of the vine is an excellent metaphor for our spiritual lives. Prayer and meditation are essential to nourish the roots of our spiritual lives. It anchors our connection with the Holy One and supports us through the joys and struggles of our lives. Even when we find it hard to pray, God dwells in us and knows the longing of our hearts. Our doubts and questions cannot separate us from God. Prayer is bigger, deeper, and more expansive than we are.
Thomas Merton, a Trappist Monk's prayer, speaks to this deep connection to the heart of God.
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I
cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I
think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I
believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that
desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know
nothing about it. Therefore, will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in
the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave
me to face my perils alone.
Prayer helps us understand more clearly who we are to be and how we are to be with God and the world around us. During a visit with Mother Teresa, Archbishop of Loreto remembered Mother Teresa asking him how many hours a day he prayed. Her question was puzzling to him. He commented, "Mother, I expected you to speak about charity, to invite me to love the poor more. Why do you ask how many hours I pray?" She humbly replied, "My child, without God we are too poor to be able to help the poor! Remember: I am only a poor woman who prays. God puts His Love into my heart and so I can love the poor. By praying!"
As we give ourselves to the way of prayer, it keeps us growing and moving toward greater wholeness. It leads us outward and connects us to the needs of the larger world and all of life.
Reflection:
Perhaps you could begin a new prayer practice during Lent. Even if you don't feel like doing it, showing up is the first step and don't be hard on yourself if you mess up.
You may want to try doing the breath prayer several times a day, Breath in - Abide in me. Breath out - as I abide in you. Let the power of this prayer sink deep into your heart.
Reflect on how prayer connects you to God and to others as Mother Teresa suggest?
Song: Dwell Among Us, Salt of the Sound
Prayer:
May the ground below,
air above,
sea around,
be hallowed,
filled with the Three-in-One,
God of life,
Christ of love,
Spirit of peace.
~Celtic prayer
Sources:
Annisquam Village Church (May 21, 2021). Lessons from a Fruit Bearing Life
Rainforest Alliance (2021). 7 Fascinating Facts About Soil
Rupp, J. (2008). Prayer. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books
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