By Judy Taylor
Recently on Facebook there have been some beautiful pictures of local early morning sunrises or sunsets. The skies have been deep pink merging into mauves and blues and often set against a silhouette of tall trees. The caption accompanying the photos is ‘beautiful but brief’. It reminded me of a time when there was a most beautiful sunset where I lived – the sky was just full of amazing colours and I so wanted to take a photo without the addition of trees and roofs so I drove a short distance to a place where I thought I would have a more complete uninterrupted view. However, by the time I got there the sky had changed, the colours were not so vibrant, the picture was fading. Afterwards, I do remember thinking about my rush to capture this picture and realising there was a lesson here. Enjoy the moment for however long or short it is because it is a window of something amazing and as soon as you try to change or hold it for longer, it will never be the same.
On seeing the Transfiguration of Christ, Peter wanted to make three shelters, or tabernacles, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, to preserve the moment and honour the divine figures present. His statement was a reaction of overwhelming awe and fear, a desire to make the spiritual high permanent but this was not God’s plan. Peter was chosen by Jesus together with John and James to witness this amazing revelation but this is what it was, a window into the glory of God and of his Son but, just for a brief moment, real life had to be returned to.
This is the time of year when what we see around us is beginning to change; some of the trees are starting to produce their glorious reds, bronze and orange leaves, the last flowers of summer are fading and dare I say, it there has occasionally been a change in temperature in the mornings. September can be a most beautiful month, the sun is often just warm with a golden light that only seems to be present at this time of year. We have the wonderful huge harvest moon as the month draws on but all the time everything is changing, slowing down, ready to rest. It is the natural cycle of nature at the end of one season in readiness for the next, and we can enjoy, marvel and give thanks for all these changes. I came across a lovely picture in words by Thomas of Celano who was an Italian friar of the Franciscan order which reads as follows:
“Francis of Assisi found a flowering meadow, there he preached: and he called upon it to praise the Lord, even as if it had been a rational being. In the same manner did he treat the sown fields and the vineyards, the stones and the forests, all the fair meads the running streams the green gardens, the earth, the fire, the air and the wind. And he counselled them all with upright purity of heart to love God and in a strangely hidden way he penetrated into the heart of each creature with his sharp-sightedness as though he were penetrating into the glorious freedom of the Son of God.”
The Garden of St. Francis sends us a powerful message about respect for the planet and all the life forms that populate it. It encourages us to hold onto a part of the garden within ourselves that is not cultivated, not guided by the rules of efficiency and results, but is open to contemplation and harmony. It reminds us of the interconnection between humans and the environment, providing a more harmonious view of our interactions with the natural world.
In a world full of chaos and uncertainty where everything is changing but not for natural or good reasons, where so many are displaced and there is no sense of rhythm or continuity, just existence, may we give thanks to God for this natural progression of the seasons, and cherish the beauty each one brings.
This is a child’s view by that prolific author Anon!
“I like the country because it is so peaceful. Out there the quiet just goes sliding along. God sews up the buds of flowers very tight and after a while He lets the sun and rain open the stitches. When waves come in on the beach they look like big open mouths ready to gobble up things. Sometimes they look like white, lacy arms hugging the whole world”.
Let us give thanks and care for the beauty of every moment, every day knowing God holds everything together in perfect harmony.