Thoughts from the Curatage

As I look out at my front garden, I delight to see some of the first signs of spring….   The crocuses have been bravely appearing over the past few weeks and they now stand confident and determined as they declare that ‘Spring is coming!’.

We’ve certainly experienced some challenging weather this winter, as the unfortunate folks who drove into my road in the slippiest of the snowy conditions found just seconds before they skidded into the fence!  Some of the excitement of the snow seemed to fade as the difficulties set in and yet through it all there have been many signs of hope. 

Elsewhere in our world we have already this year witnessed catastrophic happenings - Haiti, Madeira and many other places too - where normality has disappeared and people struggle to survive as they face huge physical, emotional and spiritual obstacles.  We need to continue to support these people – through prayer and action - even when the news bulletins move on to other stories.

Yet even in the darkest of places we have also witnessed moments of hope:  finding kindness and care in unexpected places;  the unearthing of a body, buried for several days and the discovery that there is breath, there is life!  Like the emerging crocus, these rays of hope speak volumes, they encourage the weary in body, mind and spirit, and they inspire us to never give up. 

Whatever challenges we face this lent, let’s  remember the brave little crocus!  If we can learn from it, be inspired by it and even become a bit more like it, then we will be ready to greet the Easter Resurrection Celebration with joy in our hearts.           

Crocus Hope     (Author unknown)

It takes courage to be crocus-minded.

O God I’d rather wait until June, like wise roses, when the hazards of winter are safely behind and I’m expected and everything is ready for roses.

But crocuses?

Highly irregular!  Knifing up through hard-frozen ground and snow, sticking their necks out because they believe in spring and have something personal and emphatic to say about it.

God, I am by nature rose-minded.

Even when I have studied the situation here and know that there are wrongs that need righting, affirmations that need stating, and know also that my speaking out may offend – for it rocks the boat, well, I’d rather wait until June.

Maybe things will work themselves out and we won’t have to make an issue out of it

God, forgive - wrongs don’t work themselves out, injustices and inequities and hurts don’t dissolve.

Somebody has to stick their neck out.  Somebody who cares enough to think through and work through hard ground, because they believe they have something personal and emphatic to say about it.

Me God?

Crocus-minded?    Could it be that there are things that need to be said and done, and you want me to say and do them?

I pray for courage.

AMEN

May we all be brave agents of God’s hope this Lent……

With love in Christ,

Rev’d. Chris