joys of the summer…

As Lammas approaches, I’ve been drawn to give thanks for the bounty of the creation unfolding around us. In our backyard, the garden is pulsating and thriving (thanks to Janice, and the good Lord … certainly no thanks to my lazy-ass habits!) Our fridge is overflowing with vegetables from our CSA farmer Keith up in Hudson Bay, and the freezer has a good head start on berries for the winter. It fills me with a sense of gratitude, a sense of the fullness of life, and the abundance of the Spirit. At the end of the day, I think that is what the Sophian life is really about … cultivating eucharist (thanksgiving). Recognizing that the Earth is a primal sacrament of the Creator, and remembering that our primary vocation as human beings is actually that of being priests within the creation. Sophia teaches us to “lift up our hearts”, and in so doing, to lift up the cosmos to God.
There is much pain in the world, to be sure. Much injustice and oppression, and downright satanic violence …. we are called to resistance and steadfast courage in the struggle. And yet, there is also so much joy. Yesterday, as we got lost in a rural area outside of Saskatoon, looking for a berry plot to harvest, we came across a beautiful meadow. In the midst of the tall grasses and wildflowers was a whitetailed doe, and her two spotted fawns. We watched from the car, as the mother grazed, and the two little ones chased butterflies across the field, dashing and jumping with speed and grace. It was a scene straight out of some sentimental Disney film … but it was real. A gift from God, overflowing from the bounty of Her love.
This summer, from firstfruits through harvest, take time to practice eucharist. Give thanks for the gifts you’ve been given, and let joy and abundance overtake you. Thanks be to Godde.

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