Ken Gire in his book, Seeing What is Sacred, has an entire chapter on the topic of “seeds of the reflective life.” At the beginning of this chapter he includes the following excerpt from Thomas Merton…
Every moment and every event of every man’s
life on earth plants something in his soul. For
just as the wind carries thousands of invisible
and visible winged seeds, so the stream of time
brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come
to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men.
Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and are lost,
because men are not prepared to receive them.
In order to live the reflective life that responds to the divine imperative, “Be still and know that I am God,” we must be prepared to receive such seeds of reflection. Every moment and every event carries seeds of eternity that desire to be planted in our hearts and souls. But it all comes down to receptivity.
When I was growing up, springtime was one of great anticipation. The tractor plow turned over the dark, rich earth. Ground was prepared to receive the seeds. I always thought that it was rather strange and odd that things sprouted we did not plant. This was all because the earth was prepared to receive whatever seed happened to fall and be planted.
Maple tree seeds and morning glory seeds seemed to take over and sprout like crazy. Merton’s quote invites us to think of the wind as the “Spirit.” If we are receptive, the Spirit of God will plant in our hearts seeds that will germinate with “spiritual vitality.” Our greatest challenge is to be ready when those seeds are dropped imperceptibly in our minds and wills.
I was grabbed by the thought that “every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” Are we prepared and receptive enough to know what that “something” is on a daily basis? What are we learning and how are we growing?
In Christian love, Curtis
Every moment and every event of every man’s
life on earth plants something in his soul. For
just as the wind carries thousands of invisible
and visible winged seeds, so the stream of time
brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come
to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men.
Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and are lost,
because men are not prepared to receive them.
In order to live the reflective life that responds to the divine imperative, “Be still and know that I am God,” we must be prepared to receive such seeds of reflection. Every moment and every event carries seeds of eternity that desire to be planted in our hearts and souls. But it all comes down to receptivity.
When I was growing up, springtime was one of great anticipation. The tractor plow turned over the dark, rich earth. Ground was prepared to receive the seeds. I always thought that it was rather strange and odd that things sprouted we did not plant. This was all because the earth was prepared to receive whatever seed happened to fall and be planted.
Maple tree seeds and morning glory seeds seemed to take over and sprout like crazy. Merton’s quote invites us to think of the wind as the “Spirit.” If we are receptive, the Spirit of God will plant in our hearts seeds that will germinate with “spiritual vitality.” Our greatest challenge is to be ready when those seeds are dropped imperceptibly in our minds and wills.
I was grabbed by the thought that “every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” Are we prepared and receptive enough to know what that “something” is on a daily basis? What are we learning and how are we growing?
In Christian love, Curtis
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