JERUSALEM CROSS GARDENING...OF SOIL AND SOUL: The Blooming of Easter and Spring

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The Blooming of Easter and Spring

Two trumpets, two trombones and a tuba helped mark the occasion in worship. Easter arrived with musical fanfare amongst us!

Now the cross, decorated with the bright yellow blooms of daffodils, stands outside in the Centennial Gard en to proclaim the victory - "Christ is Risen," "Alleluia."

Ahead of us lies a welcome Easter season, fifty liturgical days, coinciding with spring, to creatively celebrate Gods' triumph - light over dark, life over death, warmth over cold. And the worlds Earth Day becomes for us an Easter Earth Day S

unday as we celebrate the Christ who plays in creation. Our town's Maifest becomes an Easter Blessing of Seeds Sunday as we prepare to engage life by planting our gardens. And Leavenworth Spring Birdfest becomes an Easter Birdfest Sunday as, having officially sponsored the Mourning Dove, we prepare for the moving of the Holy Spirit amongst us on Pentecost and Aldersgate Day.

This is the time for us Christians, as creation awakes around us in the bloom of spring, to witness to the Christ who plays in creation (Father), to open ourselves afresh to the Christ who played and plays in history (Son), and to embrace the Christ who plays in community (Holy Spirit) and promises to make all things new.

No comments:

Post a Comment

About Jerusalem Cross Gardening

In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

(James 1: 21. The Message)

Jerusalem Cross Gardening...of Soil and Soul

...of Soil (Pleasure)

Cilantro. Basil. Mint. Garlic. Planted in the four little crosses of my raised-bed in my potager garden, these herbs will add flavor to family dishes - think picante sauce, pesto and hummus - bringing taste and pleasure to our meals.

...and of Soul (Purpose)

But there is more. The same four little crosses reminds us of the four acts that deepen faith - acts of devotion, worship, compassion and justice - flavoring the pleasures of life with divine intention.

Just as the herbs flavor our meals, regular engagement of the four acts help flavor our witness to the way of Christ in the world, bringing purpose (Bread of Heaven) to pleasure (bread of the earth) and a holy spice to lives God uses to "landscape" the world.

Jerusalem-Cross-Gardening for Small Groups:

To spice up your life, consider joining a weekly small group. Meet regularly with friends for contemplation, reading scripture, and fellowship. Allow the Word to landscape your life. Share how you have "witnessed to Jesus Christ in the world through the acts of devotion, worship, compassion and justice under the guidance of the Holy Spirit" each week as a way of mutually encouraging one another in your spiritual walk.

We're all invited to the divine dance. Join the journey. Jerusalem-Cross-Gardening-of-soil-and-soul invites us onto the "Trinity-mapped" playground of God where Christ plays in creation (Father), history (Jesus) and community (Holy Spirit). (Eugene Peterson).