Bearing Fruit Through Perseverance

Growing a garden, be it vegetables or flowers, let's face it, is hard work, but in the end, we rave about the vegetables which have a special flavor not found in supermarket produce, and the beauty of the flowers in the beds of harmonious of colors, brings needed peace to the soul. The lessons of patience and perseverance learned in pulling eternal weeds, learning what is a weed and what isn't, fighting of bugs with spray, and watering in dry spells, are added bonuses. Indeed, the hard work was well worth it.
The garden experience is used by Jesus to illustrate our growth in the spiritual life. "The seed is the word of God. But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard he word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance." (Lk 9:11b, 15). The "generous and good heart" is the one that deals with the weeds and bugs that come into our spiritual gardens: the temptations, the failures, the doubts, questions and unfulfilled desires of peace or "something good" to come our way. As we're on our knees weeding, we need to be on our knees praying, and, as St. Teresa of Avila reminds us, "trusting in the goodness of God, which is greater than all evils", in other words, the Ultimate Weed Killer! Mary stands as the model "gardener" bearing her seven swords of sorrow with trust and perseverance. "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Happy gardening!
Bro. Rene