A little Tomato Plant
‘Ask the plants of the earth and they will teach you’ Jb 12: 8
‘Ask the plants of the earth and they will teach you’ Jb 12: 8
Let the earth produce vegetation; seed – bearing plants, and fruit trees on earth,
bearing fruit with their seed inside, each corresponding to its own species.’
And so it was. The earth produced vegitation and God saw that it was good. And there was evening and morning the third day’ Gen 1: 11 - 13
It was mid summer the shimmering latin sun enveloped one in its heat and radiance.
I had just come in through the iron gate and started to go the steps which lead to the house.
In the paved courtyard below there was only a small patch of soil where the perennial roses were planted.
Otherwise due to the lack of soil beds there were a variety of plants inbeded in garden pots of various shapes
and sizes, flowers and shrubs carefully chosen to withstand the summer sun.
Going up the steps that lead to the house, my attention was suddenly drawn to a little tomato plant in an oversized pot. The little plant which nestled in the middle of a row of plants along the fence, had grown, matured and was now full of lovely red ripe tomatoes.
I looked and understood that as the tomato plant was so small it had made every effort to produce so abundent a crop; that it was stretching out its branches to give God the best view of all the tomatoes it had produced, proudly displaying its fruits to its Creator.
And I saw that God was looking down on the little tomato plant and was responding to it; that this little plant delighted him - yes it gave God great pleasure that it had done his will by bearing so many lovely ripe tomatoes and by so doing was giving glory to him.
‘May the glory of the Lord continue for ever ! TheLord takes pleasure in all he has made’ Ps 104 31
And I saw that God was looking down on the little tomato plant and was responding to it; that this little plant delighted him - yes it gave God great pleasure that it had done his will by bearing so many lovely ripe tomatoes and by so doing was giving glory to him.
‘May the glory of the Lord continue for ever ! TheLord takes pleasure in all he has made’ Ps 104 31
Does the Lord delight in us ? Yes
As the psalmist says: ‘The Lord delights in those who revere him, in those who wait for his love’ Ps 147:11
‘It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit’ Jn 15: 8
If a little plant can give God so much delight how much more do we when we love and trust him and carry out the work he has given each of us to accomplish.
For like the little tomato plant if we continue in fidelity in our following of the Lord and make every effort to please him in whatever direction or circumstance he may lead, then we too will bear fruit as we grow into the image of Christ and by so doing will be of service to others, give glory to God and sew our wedding garment of glory –
a garment of dazzling white linen, which are the good deed of the saints Rev 19: 8
Saint Rose of Lima wrote:
The Lord our Saviour, raised his voice and spoke, ‘Let them know,' he said that after sorrow grace follows; let them understand that without the burden of affliction one cannot arrive at the height of glory; that the measure of heavenly gifts is increased in proportion to the labours undertaken’.
So let us not be disheartened knowing that ‘we should give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because in the Lord our labour is not in vain’. 1 Cor 15: 58
As the psalmist says: ‘The Lord delights in those who revere him, in those who wait for his love’ Ps 147:11
‘It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit’ Jn 15: 8
If a little plant can give God so much delight how much more do we when we love and trust him and carry out the work he has given each of us to accomplish.
For like the little tomato plant if we continue in fidelity in our following of the Lord and make every effort to please him in whatever direction or circumstance he may lead, then we too will bear fruit as we grow into the image of Christ and by so doing will be of service to others, give glory to God and sew our wedding garment of glory –
a garment of dazzling white linen, which are the good deed of the saints Rev 19: 8
Saint Rose of Lima wrote:
The Lord our Saviour, raised his voice and spoke, ‘Let them know,' he said that after sorrow grace follows; let them understand that without the burden of affliction one cannot arrive at the height of glory; that the measure of heavenly gifts is increased in proportion to the labours undertaken’.
So let us not be disheartened knowing that ‘we should give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because in the Lord our labour is not in vain’. 1 Cor 15: 58
The Morning Star Rev 2: 28
‘Be strong, do not be discouraged,for your deeds will be rewarded.’ 2 Ch 15: 7
And we at the end of our days will received the gift of the bright and morning star;
the glorification of the Christian. That glory which will be ours…and we will delight
in Lord in a recipocal exchange of love and joy.
Let us rejoice then and be glad for this is the day which the Lord has made -
today is the day of salvation !
‘Be strong, do not be discouraged,for your deeds will be rewarded.’ 2 Ch 15: 7
And we at the end of our days will received the gift of the bright and morning star;
the glorification of the Christian. That glory which will be ours…and we will delight
in Lord in a recipocal exchange of love and joy.
Let us rejoice then and be glad for this is the day which the Lord has made -
today is the day of salvation !
And the tomatoes on the little potted plant were very good…!
Diana May Cockburn
Feast of St Teresa of Avila - 'After you die, you wear what you are'
15 October 2016