It’s embarrassing to admit, but I ended up cultivating a dandelion last spring. The previous fall, I’d transplanted so many plants around my yard I lost track of what was where. When those green shoots started to grow and spread, I presumed it was one of my coreopsis plants. It wasn’t until it flowered that I discovered my mistake, dug the large weed out and tossed it into the woods.
Have you ever cultivated any of the sinful traits listed in today’s Gospel: greed, malice or arrogance, perhaps mistaking them for motivation, hurt or satisfaction? I have, and I’ve also nurtured them to grow. Eventually, by the grace of God, I recognized them for what they were, rooted them out and then repented so they no longer defiled my soul.
For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me. Ps 51:5
Thank you for this reflection, Claire. I am determined not to cultivate the sin of pride, which has been creeping up on me recently. "Patience is the root and guardian of all the virtues." St. Pope Gregory the Great
Great reflection Thank you! Please pray for my eldest son Jason who found out yesterday that he has a malignant tumor. They believe they found it early and that it is treatable. We are waiting for a referral to a specialist to have radiation and a biopsy to give us more details.
Praying for you and Jason this evening, EN.
Praying for jason that God's wisdom to be with the doctor and care-givers and for the treatments to be effective and Jason's healing to be complete ✝️ *** Our BSF student lesson last week was on suffering! We may not know why 'suffering?' but we know God is good, and He brings good even from believers’ suffering. He never wastes our painful experiences. Instead, He uses those troubles to show His glory, grow our character, and strengthen our faith in Him. He never leaves us to face difficult times alone. Instead, He invites us to turn to Him for help. God strengthens His people in their suffering. He gives His presence, His peace, His wisdom—everything we need to live for Him during hard times. *** Jesus suffered and died on the cross so people can have a close relationship with Him. And one day all those who have trusted in Jesus will be completely free from suffering and will live with Him forever! ✝️ *** so I pray for Jason's faith will grow throughout this journey as he experiences God's presence, providence and power ✝️
Lifting your son up in prayer. May God surround him with healing and illuminate the good that He places in every situation, no matter how dire.
EN I will pray for you and your son Jason right now. Ken Living faith family please pray for one of my Feedmore clients who stopped for a few months then today joined my route. Bettie returned and I was happy to see her but she told me she now has been diagnosed with diabetes. Ken
I will pray for God's strength to take you and Jason through this trial of life
EN, praying the Lord be with your son, Jason, and help him through his journey. May he comfort you too. Blessings, Rita.
Look for the good inside and cultivate out the bad. Amen!
Short and sweet, Gary, and very well said!
AMEN!
I’m the weirdo that doesn’t see dandelions as weeds. We don’t spray our lawn and let grow what grows, we just cut it and keep the yard nice. But the very reason I love the meditations and contributions here is because they make me think deeper than I would on my own. Are there “dandelions” in my life, as Claire describes, that I don’t see as sin. I don’t root them out because I don’t see those scattered actions and thoughts in my life as sinful….but they are? Or, are there at the least, things in my life that choke out better grass that could be growing or better “blooms” I could nurture? Maybe. Today I will be mindful of things that may be crowding out good deeds or good thoughts so I can see any “weeds” more clearly. Blessings to everyone.
Thank you for this incredibly thoughtful reflection, Vicky. It takes us all deeper and gives us much food for thought!
Amen. :)
Claire, I love this reflection! It also made me think of converting bad seeds into good seeds, like Paul. Our Lord took the most unlikely people and cultivated them into amazing disciples! Our good Catholic friends cultivate dandelions into the most amazing wine I have ever tasted!
What a fabulous perspective, Linda! I do love how God can create good from everything, no matter how bad it seems. I especially love that idea of turning dandelion weeds into wine. I'll be thinking of that as I weed this spring!
I wonder if the Image of the Day explanation was intentional or a Freudian slip. How appropriate!
You have a keen eye. Looks like it was a typo. But given the topic today, perhaps we should overlook it and just smile?
Thank you Claire as always for your reflective pieces...I am a work in progress in identifying and removing all evil from my soul and physical being... along the way, I am begging for forgiveness from our Lord
Sounds to me like you are on the right path, Cheryl. God must be smiling about that!
✝️ Have you ever wondered why God put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden and forbid Adam and Eve to eat from it? I have...*** so far, I understand it is not about what they eat from but what was in their hearts in Mark 7:18-21a, "“Don’t you understand?” Jesus asked. “Don’t you see? Nothing that enters a person from the outside can make them ‘unclean.’ It doesn’t go into their heart. It goes into their stomach. Then it goes out of the body.” In saying this, Jesus was calling all foods “clean.” He went on to say, “What comes out of a person is what makes them ‘unclean.’ Evil thoughts come from the inside, from a person’s heart!" *** Exactly what happened to the fallen angels in Ezekiel 28:14-15, " I appointed you to be like a guardian angel. I anointed you for that purpose. You were on My holy mountain. You walked among the gleaming jewels. Your conduct was without blame from the day you were created. But soon you began to sin!" *** In their hearts, they wanted to be like God thinking if they eat fron the tree of Knowledge of good and evil believing in satan's lie in Genesis 3:4-5, "You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “God knows that when you eat fruit from that tree, you will know things you have never known before. Like God, you will be able to tell the difference between good and evil.” ******* You see, I believe their hearts wanted to be like God, so when they eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil...it will be their 'good and evil,' not God's good and evil!!! That's what sin is - to be in God's shoes deciding what is good and evil instead of surrending our will to His will. I have learned that by the power of the Holy Spirit Scripture is God's Word! And it is just an orginary book by the power of my own understanding!!! So pray for the power of the Holy Spirit before you read and study Scripture, so it will God's good and evil and not your own good and evil ✝️ *** The prayer of the Holy Spirit, "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love! Send forth Your Spirit, ans we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth! O God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy Your consolations! Through Christ our Lord, Amen ✝️
Amen!
Amen.
My prayer "Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and make my heart like yours. Strengthen my heart, mind, and my will that I may freely choose to love what is good and to reject what is evil." Amen
Amen!
Amen.☮️
A great reminder Claire. I won't be throwing the first stone. Most, but not all of my sinful traits have usually been a response to the way I was treated. As I've learned, it's always best to let go and let God handle it. He sees everything. In knowing that, I can repent for my part and focus on cultivating a clean heart. Just in time for Valentine's Day! Have a blessed day with uplifting prayers to all.
I love your point, Sandy, about repenting to have clean a heart for Valentine's Day. Wishing you much love on that day, and all year through!
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Lord please hear our prayers and bring your light to all those in need. Come to the side of those experiencing violence in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur, and the Sudan. Please hear the pleas of all those suffering around the world - and give them strength, courage and resilience to continue walking in faith. Send them your light. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur and Sudan. Please protect and send aid to those in need and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace and rebuilding– we who are working towards it and for all those who are suffering or in danger from conflicts. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.