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God of springtime,
We thank you for the strength of the sun warming the soil and our souls. We rejoice at the drip, drip, drip of ice melting off branches. We celebrate the sweet sap rising from a winter underground. We listen for the songs of feathered travelers returning from the South. We even smile at snow turning to slush turning to mud. Bless the world rising from its winter rest. Bless this in between, messy time. Bless our anticipation and our longing. Bless the melting snow as it seeps deep down to roots, bulbs and seeds, all ready and waiting. As spring moves in and winter lets go, awaken us to new life and melt away the crusty, frozen places within us. Plant in us hope, deep and resilient hope, that will rise up strong and rooted. Amen
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Our March 19 worship gathering was a celebration of our 7th anniversary!
Our theme invited us to reflect on how the words sacred, sacrament, and sacrifice all come from the same Latin root word, sacer, which means to hallow (to make holy), to set aside (set apart), to consecrate (for divine purpose) or dedicate. We shared together in the sacrament of communion (visible signs of invisible grace). And we reflected on the sacred nature of Earth and creation (filled with God’s presence) and sacrifice - the giving of life so that new life is possible. Here are the three readings we shared: “The truth of the matter is, unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. If you love your life you’ll lose it; if you hate your life in this world you’ll keep it for eternal life. Anyone who wants to work for me must follow in my footsteps.” - John 12:24–26a “With my first bite of food, I think about what I am eating. I understand the sacrifice made by the plant or the animal to give me life. My life is connected to their death. There is a sacred relationship between myself and the food I eat.” - Randy Woodley, Becoming Rooted, 67–68 The Sacraments I once spoke to my friend, an old squirrel, about the Sacraments – he got so excited and ran into a hollow in his tree and came back holding some acorns, an owl feather, and a ribbon he had found. And I just smiled and said, “Yes, dear, you understand: everything imparts His grace.” - Daniel Landinsky, inspired by St. Francis Take time outdoors and pay particular attention to where you encounter the sacred, and what sacraments you notice - those visible signs of invisible grace. Where do you see signs of sacrifice - the giving of life so that new life is possible? Today is Global Recycling Day. While we try to recycle the best we can, I am aware that our recycling system is broken and misleading. Particularly concerning plastic. Less than 10% of plastic produced worldwide is recycled. Canada produces about 3.3 million tons of plastic a year, and 2.8 million tons of that ends up in landfills. Additionally, Canada ships a portion of our plastic waste to other countries to be 'recycled,' contributing to global plastic polution.
So, when I think of recycling, I think of the many other "R's" that should come first:
God, Forgive us for taking more than we give back. Remind us that everything we buy will one day be garbage. Help us repent from wasteful ways. Restore our sense of belonging and connection to the community of creation. Renew within us awareness that the earth is full of your glory. Amen. Today:
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AuthorReflections, poetry, prayers, photos, and resources written by Wendy Janzen unless otherwise noted. Archives
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