3rd Sunday in Lent
Pine Island Presbyterian Church
Tough love came to visit again, this time in the form of a tree, a fig tree to be exact. And we were reminded that Biblical fruitfulness is, among other things, concerned for the well-being of the community. Jesus speaks harsh words in his parable – the tree has not produced for 3 years, cut it down. The garden needs the shade and shelter that a tree would provide if it were healthy. Justice – concern for the larger ecological system. But the gardener asks for one more year, another dose of that earthy of all earthy fertilizer – manure. Mercy – God’s compassion for each. Tough decisions. Tough love. We need both justice and mercy.
I have enough gardening blood in me to favor the compost/manure option but I also have concern for the larger community, and understand the need for each member to seek to be healthy in order for the whole to be healthy.
In these days of Lent, which does your heart hunger for: justice and letting go? mercy and manure?
Working with lots of compost in this season,
The Alchemist
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