Grace Curtis
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There are two times in the year that my neighborhood is blanketed in pure, pristine white. The first moment is in the winter, when all seems dead and barren yet you wake up in the morning to a wonderland of sparkling snow covering the trees. There is something special and beautiful about the joyful spirit snow can stir in our hearts even when it’s cold and everyone has the sniffles and has on five layers of clothes. The second time is in the spring. My neighborhood is lined with nicely trimmed and neat pear trees, which bloom with precious white flowers when the weather warms up just right. Everything is perfect during this time of happiness and spring energy. I always love how my house is transformed by the flowers’ peaceful fragility. However, like everything in this world, the flowers are fleeting. The petals fall to the ground with the passing of wind and spring rain. Although it is sad to see my favorite little flowers leave, something even better comes. From my window I can see the whole street explode with vibrant green hues. Strong, new leaves emerge where the flowers once were. Nourishment from developing in the blossoms gives life to the trees and allows them to not only survive but thrive, creating a summer paradise for all of us to gratefully enjoy. And so it goes, the circle of life continues over and over. The great thing about God’s design in nature is it reflects stories about humanity. The story of the trees speaks to me in a special way about the most important moment of all: Christ’s Resurrection and our salvation.
It is pretty easy to see how the barren and cold winter correlates with life before Jesus. The Jewish people were waiting for a savior to bring them into joyful paradise, but in the meantime lived in suffering and anxious anticipation. However, even though Jesus has come into the world and given all of Himself to us, people still live in cold desolation. We pass every day forgetting the joyous miracles God gives to us. Although the things of the world seems sparkly and pretty like the snow, they only cover up the lifeless holes in the hearts of many. These holes are the deep longings and desires that can only be fulfilled by something more than sparkles and pretty distraction. We need something consistent, permanent, and that will never leave us abandoned. God is the only person who will never change, who will always be with us. His love is the only life-giving essence that flows into our hearts and fills each hole to make us whole again. This sacrificial love can only enter into us in the most beautiful and ultimate sacrifice: the cross.
Much like the flowers, Jesus’ time on earth was amazing but fleeting. Imagine watching a tree grow for the first time over a year. You’d probably freak out when finally you get to see the tree grow some flowers and then watch them fall off the branches. Similarly, the disciples were thrown for quite the loop when Jesus died and then they couldn’t find Him. We often experience great moments with Jesus then get confused when we don’t feel Him anymore. Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection is messy, confusing, and a great mystery of faith. But it is also beautiful, precious, and imperative to our identities as Catholics. This Easter, don’t get caught up in the confusing theology of Jesus’ sacrifice but instead turn your eyes to the new life and redemption in this miracle. He is risen! The Christ, creator of our hearts and king of heaven, brings us this life-giving love in the most beautiful way. We can’t allow ourselves to get used to Easter as it comes and goes like the changing trees. This incredible event changed the history of you and me forever, strengthening us and giving us hope in knowing we are never alone. The whole world has the same past, united in the greatest love story of all time. We are all changed eternally by Jesus’ give of Himself on the cross. But what now?
What you do now is up to you to decide. Don’t stop celebrating in the resurrection, because the Easter season continues until Pentacost. Jesus has risen in your heart, and wants to give you a new mission in the world. In turn, we nourish the people around us with His word and love. If each of us can do this at least in a little way this Easter season, the whole world will bloom into Christ’s garden.
Your heart is a precious little flower for Jesus. He gives you life to thrive, but it up to you to open your heart to Him. It risks being vulnerable and fragile, but He will help you bloom into the purest form of yourself. You are a radiant, beautiful sign of the Resurrection’s joy.
Happy Easter and may the peace of Jesus’ love be with you.
Oh, and take joy in the little things. I hope this Easter you find something that gets you as excited as I get about my trees’ flowers :-) .
Your sister in Christ
Garden by Matt Maher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe5WdaoRc7c
Alive by Natalie Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1GzOUnUN20
It is pretty easy to see how the barren and cold winter correlates with life before Jesus. The Jewish people were waiting for a savior to bring them into joyful paradise, but in the meantime lived in suffering and anxious anticipation. However, even though Jesus has come into the world and given all of Himself to us, people still live in cold desolation. We pass every day forgetting the joyous miracles God gives to us. Although the things of the world seems sparkly and pretty like the snow, they only cover up the lifeless holes in the hearts of many. These holes are the deep longings and desires that can only be fulfilled by something more than sparkles and pretty distraction. We need something consistent, permanent, and that will never leave us abandoned. God is the only person who will never change, who will always be with us. His love is the only life-giving essence that flows into our hearts and fills each hole to make us whole again. This sacrificial love can only enter into us in the most beautiful and ultimate sacrifice: the cross.
Much like the flowers, Jesus’ time on earth was amazing but fleeting. Imagine watching a tree grow for the first time over a year. You’d probably freak out when finally you get to see the tree grow some flowers and then watch them fall off the branches. Similarly, the disciples were thrown for quite the loop when Jesus died and then they couldn’t find Him. We often experience great moments with Jesus then get confused when we don’t feel Him anymore. Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection is messy, confusing, and a great mystery of faith. But it is also beautiful, precious, and imperative to our identities as Catholics. This Easter, don’t get caught up in the confusing theology of Jesus’ sacrifice but instead turn your eyes to the new life and redemption in this miracle. He is risen! The Christ, creator of our hearts and king of heaven, brings us this life-giving love in the most beautiful way. We can’t allow ourselves to get used to Easter as it comes and goes like the changing trees. This incredible event changed the history of you and me forever, strengthening us and giving us hope in knowing we are never alone. The whole world has the same past, united in the greatest love story of all time. We are all changed eternally by Jesus’ give of Himself on the cross. But what now?
What you do now is up to you to decide. Don’t stop celebrating in the resurrection, because the Easter season continues until Pentacost. Jesus has risen in your heart, and wants to give you a new mission in the world. In turn, we nourish the people around us with His word and love. If each of us can do this at least in a little way this Easter season, the whole world will bloom into Christ’s garden.
Your heart is a precious little flower for Jesus. He gives you life to thrive, but it up to you to open your heart to Him. It risks being vulnerable and fragile, but He will help you bloom into the purest form of yourself. You are a radiant, beautiful sign of the Resurrection’s joy.
Happy Easter and may the peace of Jesus’ love be with you.
Oh, and take joy in the little things. I hope this Easter you find something that gets you as excited as I get about my trees’ flowers :-) .
Your sister in Christ
Garden by Matt Maher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe5WdaoRc7c
Alive by Natalie Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1GzOUnUN20