Rooted in God
Sixth Sunday in ordinary time - Year C(I)
'He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.’
Jeremiah 17:7-8
This weekend’s First Reading from Jeremiah compares human experience to the planting of shrubs or trees.
There are those far out in the desert, nowhere near water. Their future is fairly obvious and Jeremiah compares this to our trusting in ourselves.
We are often told that we are our own best resource and that we should have confidence in our skills and talents. It is important to note that this is good advice.
God has provided each of us with wonderful gifts and they are to be recognised and celebrated.
A role for all parents is to encourage their children to trust in themselves and not be afraid of the challenges that may surround them.
Does Jeremiah’s take on life in this Sunday’s First Reading point in the opposite direction?
He seems to be talking about those who see no need for God’s help.
Even more than this he points out that those who see no need for God are going find life barren and empty, a dry wilderness.
It is not uncommon for people who when asked about their beliefs express the view that they don’t think God is necessary.
It all just seems to work, so where is the need for a Creator?
Some take consolation in the fact that we are made of the dust of the stars and that is truly wonderful. But at the end of the day, stardust is just that: dust.
An extraordinary thing about our world is that all living things depend upon another part of the ecology of our planet. That is why it is so worrying when we see the damage that human beings are doing.
This need to be part of the greater whole is being expressed in Jeremiah’s remarks about the tree planted by water which relies on its environment.
The prophet’s insight and the lesson we can learn from our need for balance in nature is that we all depend on something more than ourselves. We are to see this as a clue for the way the world really is. This depending on each other is to help us make that leap in understanding that creation itself relies on something more.
In this network of needing each other we see a sign of an even greater dependency. We need God.
Creation is a magnificent gift bursting with life and every person is filled with an abundance of wonderful things. As Christians, we celebrate this in the marvels of nature and in the marvel of ourselves.
At the same time, we rely on something, someone, more than just us.
Jeremiah advises us to be like the tree planted close to the water.
We are to place ourselves close to God.
When our own resources run dry and our strengths seem exhausted there is a secure source of renewal and refreshment in the ocean of God’s love.