Planting Roses

The 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s Readings: [Click here]

Not too long ago, I got together with a close friend of mine named Matthew. He told me a funny story about how when he was a kid—and not too wise about the ways of nature!—he snipped off dozens of flowers from his grandmother’s rosebushes so he could plant his own garden.

Matt told me how his grandmother’s roses amazed him with their bright colors and sweet fragrance, and he wanted to have that magic in his own backyard. So he carefully lined up the fragile blossoms, sticking them side-by-side in a patch of dirt at the edge of his mom’s vegetable garden. He said that sweat was dripping from his brow. He decided that gardening was definitely hard work.

Anyway, the next morning, Matt hurried outdoors, expecting to see flourishing rosebushes. You can imagine his disappointment when all he found was dried twigs and the shriveled remains of once-beautiful flowers.

Matt said that the memory of that morning stayed with him. Even though the lesson was rather traumatic at the time, it did prove to be quite valuable. Matt learned that in order to survive, roses must have roots firmly planted in the soil. That’s where the real magic takes place.

As Christians, we hopefully learn a similar lesson. In order to endure and thrive, our faith must be firmly planted in Christ. Good, strong roots give plants the power to stand when the wind blows and the rain falls. And through their roots, plants draw water and nutrients for new growth. Likewise, if our faith is firmly rooted in Christ, we stand sturdy. Watered by the Holy Spirit, we grow into beautiful creations of God.

Today’s gospel passage tells us the same thing: you need to build your house on a rock-solid foundation so it will survive the storms of life. A plant or tree needs good roots to anchor it; a building needs a firm and dependable foundation. Whichever metaphor you like, Christ is our root and foundation.

It’s funny, though. Even though Jesus Christ freely offers himself to us, it’s up to each of us to accept him. Do you remember another gospel where Jesus tells the parable of the man giving a banquet? The invitations were sent, but the people who were asked didn’t come. Of course, we are those people. We didn’t come because we were so busy. Our demanding careers consumed all our energy. Our financial commitments and our desire to buy all kinds of cars and toys and household goods and clothes claimed all our money. Our social calendars demanded all our time. We begged to be excused from God’s invitation to celebrate and relax in the warmth of his love and generosity. No, we didn’t think we needed his gifts. We were content with what we already had, so we refused to come.

So in sadness and perhaps even anger, God turned away from us. He rejected us in our wealth, self-satisfaction, and comfort because we were too proud to accept his free gifts. We had other agendas. We had everything we needed. Nothing could be withheld from us. We dominated the world. No one could refuse us.

Except God. We had no hold over him. Our economic and military power couldn’t affect his realm. His realm knew no economic indicators, no pride of position, no force of arms. Our markets and missiles couldn’t penetrate the power of Christ’s love. Yes, God turned his back on us because we didn’t believe we needed him.

So what God did was what he always does: he called other people… others, in fact, who didn’t even merit our notice. He invited the homeless, the battered housewife and child, the AIDS patient. He drew the alcoholic and drug abuser, the criminal and robber, the sick and disabled, into his home. They expected nothing from God because they had received nothing from us. But Christ welcomed them. He healed them. He loved them. They became the citizens of his realm because they were humble enough to accept Christ’s invitation. They knew only that God had accepted them and received them. That’s all the mattered.

Maybe we can say that they put down deep roots of faith in his soil. They said yes to rebuilding their lives on a rock-solid foundation. As St. Paul put it in our second reading today: “Now the righteousness of God has been manifested… the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”

It is easy to look back at our own life at this point and perhaps realize with some sadness: “Yeah, that kind of describes me. I guess I have pushed away many of God’s invitations and gifts and blessings.”

But the good news, of course, is that God is so loving and so forgiving, that he gives us endless chances to fix things. The entrance antiphon today says it so well: “O look at me and be merciful, for I am wretched and alone. See my hardship and my poverty, and pardon all my sins.” That kind of prayer, said with sincerity, melts God’s heart. That is the basis for spiritual gardening or house building that can’t possibly miss. That is the path to a beautiful faith-life in the Lord, so we can say with the psalmist: “You are my rock and my fortress… Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.”

Ask God today for the special grace to accept his invitation to get re-rooted… to build your house on a properly engineered, solid foundation. Your prayer will be answered.