Opening Prayer
Thank you dear Lord for this season of Spring. A season of renewal of life within all your creation. Longer, warmer and brighter days, growth and life. Let us wonder at this miracle you have given us and renew our world; let us use this time for good, for peace, for compassion and to love of one another. We pray dear Lord for peace. Amen
Reflection
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 states: ‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.’ So in winter we waited – a time of such hard work with all of life’s activities and the resurgence occurring out of sight.
Henri Nouwen taught that waiting is not a passive, wasted time, but an active, hopeful, and patient discipline. He taught that true waiting means living in the present moment while believing that “something hidden there will manifest itself”. And if we look out of the window we can see all of creation coming to life
I really love the following poem by Ann Lewin which seems to sum up the patience and faith we need when waiting for Spring.
| Prayer is like watching for the kingfisherPrayer is like watching forThe kingfisher. All you can do isBe there where he is like to appear, andWait.Often nothing much happens;There is space, silence andExpectancy.No visible signs, only the | Knowledge that he’s been thereAnd may come again.Seeing or not seeing cease to matter,You have been prepared.But when you’ve almost stoppedExpecting it, a flash of brightnessGives encouragement.Ann Lewin |
‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Now we are in the midst of Spring. We celebrate renewal, the divinity in nature, and the resurrection of life after winter’s slumber. We see God’s grace reflecting in blooming flowers and singing birds. Of course we cannot forget St Francis of Assisi who saw God reflected in all of nature, and his writing of the Canticle of the Creatures which we will read now.
Canticle of the Creatures
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor, and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention Your name.
Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor;
and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,
through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night,
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon
for Your love, and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
St Francis of Assisi
And we see Richard Rohr using the word spring in another context. He emphasises that the “spring” is an internal, ever-flowing source of grace and life, as Jesus described to the Samaritan woman (John 4:14) Rohr states a:
‘mutual vulnerability is revealed as Jesus invites the woman to be both the receiver and also the “source” and giver of the gift of living water. In an almost Trinitarian kind of flow, Jesus describes this transfer as a “water that I shall give which will be a spring of water within you—welling up unto infinite life” (John 4:14).’
He continues ‘Jesus’ most wonderful metaphor for this inner experience of grace is “a spring within you.” This spring is not outside us, it’s within us, and it’s bubbling up unto eternal life.
Richard Rohr, A Spring within Us, https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-spring-within-us/
What does Spring mean to you?
Is it the delight in warmer weather, brighter days and more hours of life?
Is it time for Spiritual renewal?
