Matthew 6:26-29: Re-Creation – Flora and Fauna
Friday, April 19, 2024
When we consider the diversity of plant and animal life on planet Earth, we see the variety that pleases God; and so we might imitate that variety in our relationship with God’s creation. We might broaden our horizon to new thinking; we might open our view to varied opinions before we form our own.
When we consider the care God uses in creating our world, we might see that God lavishes love on all and does not reserve it for the few. We might consider processing our fears and anxieties through this same lens of love; we might work harder at loving all that plagues and worries us, allowing God’s presence to convert harm to goodness.
Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds? Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
Rather than see the animal kingdom as ours to control as we wish, we might think of ourselves as another manifestation in God’s marvelous kingdom of variety and complexity.
And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.
Rather than see plant life as ours to use as we like, we might think of ourselves as sisters and brothers of the amazingly complex kingdom of intricacy and wonder.
Jesus tells us that when we consider the great love God bestows on all that surrounds us, we might remember that God has much more in mind for us than the panoply of wonder that greets our senses. This is a promise we see fulfilled each day as we step out into the world . . . if only we might have eyes to see and ears to hear.
To discover why St. Francis of Assisi is the patron of ecology, for eco-prayers and a guide for nature lovers, visit: http://www.praying-nature.com/index.php
To learn more about this spring’s desert bloom in the Anza-Borrego desert in the southwest of the USA, click on the desert image or visit: http://www.abdnha.org/pages/03flora/reports/current.htm
Zurbarán image from: https://blog.mam.org/2017/06/27/from-the-collection-francisco-de-zurbarans-saint-francis-of-assisi-in-his-tomb/
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