In a hole in the middle of the ground was the prettiest tree that you ever did see; and this tree had the prettiest parts ever. It is so the nursery song tells us. Jesus says that, when a mustard seed is planted, the small semen grows into a big shrub and gives shelter to the birds of the air. Our journey of small steps made by perennially putting one foot in front of another culminates in a lifetime, the making by intercourse of spirit and body of a soul. "We bless you father, Lord of life, to whom all living beings tend; the source of holiness and grace, our first beginning and our end." Hours give way to days, which in turn give way to weeks, and then to months, and years, and decades. Time keeps moving, bearing some of us along. Jesus said to the man he was calling to follow him: "Leave the dead to bury their dead. You, follow me." The goal of life and of salvation consists in the perpetual following of the master. "I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go, and near him I always will be for nothing can keep me away; he is my destiny. There isn't an ocean too deep or mountain so high it can keep me away from his love." Watch the movie, Sister Act, and appreciate these lyrics that talk about the awesomeness of our clinging tenaciously to God, the source of life itself. "We praise you O Lord, our God." "God is for us a refuge and strength, a helper close at hand in time of distress; so we shall not fear though the earth should rock; though the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea."
"The waters of a river give joy to God's city, the holy place where the most high dwells." "Even though its waters rage and foam; even though the mountains be shaken by its waves; the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold." "Be still and know that I am God; supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth." The power and mercy of God are boundless. They surround us like a rampart, and afford protection the livelong day. We are blessed to be under the mantle of the divine lord. He protects us from a distance. "Lord do not come to my house, I'm unworthy; speak and the promise is sealed: for when your word O Lord is spoken, he shall be healed." It was so the centurion said when he accosted Jesus and begged the Lord to heal the centurion's servant. The love in the heart of the centurion, as it poured itself out in request to Jesus, moved the savior to act quickly. But the faith of the centurion was even more impressive. Jesus said concerning it: "Not in all of Israel have I found faith like this." "Increase our faith, Lord." "If your faith be as small as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mulberry shrub: 'be thou removed and cast into the sea,' and it will obey you." We do not care about drowning mulberry trees, Lord. But give us the faith to drown our sorrows and regrets; our hatreds and fears - give us the grace to follow you with clean hearts and pure thoughts, and without the negative emotions that we are burdened with.
Send us help from on high, Lord. Let us walk in your presence all the days of our lives. "Bless the work of our hands." "From his holy mountain, the lord will send his truth and his love." "We praise you, O Lord, our God." "Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful; let Israel rejoice in its maker; let Zion sons exult in their king; let them praise his name with dancing, and make music with timbrel and harp. For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the poor with salvation; let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest. And let the praise of God be on their lips." Indeed, "we praise you, O Lord, our God." And we praise you because your mercy lasts for ever. It is in you that "we live and move and have our being." Thank you God for all you do for us. Thank you for making us your children. We have faith in your saving power. We love you, and we desire to follow you more closely. We desire that, when we keep putting one foot in front of another, our journeying on will draw us nearer and nearer to you, and to no one else. May we never be distracted by the material trappings of this world. May we never be overwhelmed by the problems of this world. May we never lose faith because of the trials and temptations of this world. May we know, like Berkeley knows, that the world does not even exist to begin with. May we know that all there is is you, the eternal spirit; and may we know that it is in you that all things are and remain.
We love you, Lord. Do not forsake us. Let us always be your children. Keep us in your love forever. We want to cling to you without reservation. Bless us all the days of our lives. Help us to be closer to you always. Grant O lord that we may love you more, so that our knowledge and trust and consideration of you will extend to our brothers and sisters, and our friends. "Greater love hath no man than this: lay down his life for his friends." Give us many friends O Lord. "In those days, ten people from every nation will take [us] by the hand and say: 'I want to go with you, because I see that your God is with you.'" Let it be so for us. Let our faith inspire others. "Let our light so shine before people that they may see our good deeds and praise you Lord in heaven." We need you in our lives, Lord. We want you to heal us. Heal us from the pain we feel when we are suffering because of sin and evil in the world. Heal us from the sadness that threatens to choke and overwhelm us. Heal us from every unwelcome, negative emotion; from every situation that is not conducive to our progress along the road to you. Heal us from our shame for being human; from our guilt for not being perfect as you are, Lord. Heal us from selling ourselves short; for thinking unprofitable thoughts. Heal us from the backwardness of some of our ways, and the injury we do to others. Heal us from our lack of forgiveness, and from everything we do wrong, or forget to do at all. Heal us from life itself, and the scars we incur along the way. Heal, heal, heal, Lord; and bless us, as we keep making our way to you. Amen.
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