Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
God is the gardener. God is patient, but our time on earth is limited. The great lie of the devil is that ‘we have all the time in the world.’ We do not have all the time in the world, and there are some things that we must do today—like repent. Each day is a new opportunity, regardless of yesterday’s struggles or failures, to turn to God. Repentance and conversion are about recognizing our sins and turning back to our Merciful and Loving God. When we turn to God with repentant hearts, we are always embraced by the Father’s Love. Unfortunately, the devil has a second lie that many people embrace: ‘There is no hope for you.’ With God, there is always hope, even for the worst sinner.
If God is the gardener, then our role is to bear fruit. It is not primarily about our accomplishments or successes, but about allowing the Divine Gardener to cultivate our hearts so that His grace works in and through our lives. God is really the one who brings about the growth, but we can still dispose ourselves to be fertile soil. The good news is that we are not alone in our desire to bear fruit—look around—there are many holy men and women who are fighting the good fight of faith. St. Josemaría Escrivá encouraged us: “When there is zeal for souls, good people can always be found, fertile soil can always be discovered. There is no excuse!” (Furrow, 195).
Reflection by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections