The arborist

Matthew 5:16

     Most of us are familiar with the concept of letting our light shine. Some of us of a certain age might recall a song from Godspell that speaks of not putting our light under a bushel (basket).  What good is that? The light that illuminates our goodness and our acts of love however, also illuminates our sin. Interesting thought, eh? Let me spin it this way, let the light shine on our mistakes.

     I always liked knowing my mistakes at work. I wasn't a masochist, I simply realized that unless you know your mistakes you can't take corrective action to avoid making the same mistakes again. and again.

     I think there is great importance, especially in Lent, to have a serious look inwards. Serious introspection and shedding light on ourselves, warts and all, is crucial to our growth into who we are meant to be. But more than that, I am looking to shed light on and actually embrace our less desirable traits, acts or mistakes. Embrace, appreciate and grow.  This might be considered part of a pre-reconciliation examination or part of the Examin of St. Ignatius. We need to see all of who we are, this is part of our journey.  As an arborist knows how to look and prune, so must we be able to look critically at ourselves, good and bad, embracing all and moving forward in change and commitment to truth.

     The truth is that God loves us just as we are, warts and all and God sees us not for what we have done per-se, but for what we are intended to be, what we are capable of being. In so doing we are preparing for our Easter moments of growth and birth into the Easter beings ( butterflies if you will ) that we are created to be.