Fall and Winter thoughts

I love this time of the year. I love to feel the crisp cold that is becoming more and more common at night, I love how clear and bright the stars look, but above all, I love to watch the trees as they change color, and drop their leaves. I love it, but I suppose it is a pretty depressing time of year if you look at in a purely secular way. The nights are growing ever longer, the weather growing colder, the plants are dying, and even the animals are taking precautions to stave off starvation and cold.

But I look at the trees, and I think about Jesus. After all, he was, beyond anything else, a carpenter. He knew about wood, and so he knew about trees. I’m sure that, as a boy, Joseph taught him to look at trees and see beyond the bark, to all the promise that was contained in each one. He would see a table in this one, perhaps a chair in that one, a set of bowls in that Oak over there, perhaps a cross in that odd shaped one.

As a child I used to observe, like a young Jesus probably did, that in the winter, all the trees died. As I grew up, and learned more, I came to understand their secret - that they actually just go dormant. Despite appearances, they haven’t died and in the spring they will once again come to life and bring shade from the sun, shelter from the rain, homes for the birds, fruits for our bellies, and oxygen for our lungs.

The birth of that baby so long ago was in many ways like the planting of a tree in our midst. The baby who’s birth we will celebrate in a few weeks will, over time grow up and spread his branches. Then, like the tree, he will go away for a while, and appear to us to be dead, but he will not be. On Easter morning, he will spring to life again, and show us all that he never really left us at all. He was always there, and always will be there to shelter us, and spread himself over us, He will give us protection, and nurture us, and give us life. He brings us hope.

So have a safe and happy Advent and Christmas, and remember to take a walk some cold, dark evening. Breathe in the cold, let the darkness wrap around you like a blanket, and be sure to look at the trees, and smile at knowing the mysterious secret they share with our savior.

Peace to you all,