Season of Rising

“A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know.”
—Mark 4:26-28

Dear friends,

The Old Germanic word “Easter” means “season of rising,” or springtime. Sure enough, Eastertide is springtime, and it’s time to be out in the yard raking, tilling and planting again. As we get our hands into the dirt, surrounded by the fresh, lush green of a New England spring, it’s also time to give thanks for the miracle of new life we see all around us and the preparation of our hearts for the seed of faith planted there. 

In her book of monthly devotions, Fresh Bread, Joyce Rupp has written, “When I look at the earth so lovely in springtime readiness, I reflect on what it is like to have my heart ready for the word of God. I, too, must be open to the turning over and the turning under of last year’s harvest. I, too, must be willing to have the sharp blades of life’s difficulties slice through my convictions and have them blended in faith. I, too, must allow my spirit’s rough edges to be smoothed so that God’s seed can take root in me, so that the word of God will be deeply implanted in my every thought and action.”

What is it that gets in the way of the Spirit’s germination in our hearts? Is it our fears that cause us to hesitate? Do we resist reaching out to someone in need, taking on a task that needs doing, or risking of ourselves for the sake of others? When that happens, we become “like a seed lying dormant, refusing to germinate, missing the wonders of what we could become.” *

During Lent our Christian Explorers filled clay pots and paper cups with soil and seeds. They were encouraged to take their pots home and watch these tiny seeds grow. Soon, we’ll roll up our sleeves and prepare our herb garden box for another season of planting. Easter is the time to celebrate the miracle of new life that unfolds like a seed planted in fertile ground. 

It’s also the time to look into the fertile ground of our own hearts, watching the seeds of our faith take root and push up into something new and full of life. Join the children in taking this Eastertide, so beautifully unfolding around us this spring, to notice and pray and reflect on the seeds of your own potential. 

Blessings for Easter,
Karen Nell

Thank you, God, for planting your Spirit within us. We have tried to guard and cherish this windblown seed as it sprouts and grows. By what chemistry does faith bud and swell and bloom? We are in awe that neither flood not drought nor storm can flatten its loveliness. Now may the beauty of blossom ripen into the round goodness of fruit so that all may taste of your bounty and give glory to you. Amen.  —Virginia Rickeman, The Well is Deep

*  Joyce Rupp, Fresh Bread and other Gifts of Spiritual Nourishment, Ave Maria Press, 1985.