Time and time again, when the question, "what's your favorite season of the year" comes up -usually in some sort of ice-breaker or conversation starter- I always answer "Spring." Not long ago after one such occasion, I began thinking about my answer. In actuality I really like summer because I love warm weather, because the pace of life around the church slows down just a little and because that's usually when I take my major vacation. So why is it I always say "Spring"? Well, I think it has something to do with really disliking the cold and drabness of winter. I think it also has something to do with the fact that spring seems to carry the promise that summer will indeed come. I also love to see the transformation that happens as grass starts to green and the perennial flowers and deciduous trees start to come back to life. In short, I think it's because for me, spring is about new life and the hope of new life.
I think that we in the Northern Hemisphere are especially lucky because, for us, the Easter celebration of the Resurrection promise of new life coincides with the greening and new life of spring. Everywhere we look we see the signs of it and our hope is renewed.
A number of years ago I came across the work of Hildegard of Bingen, an amazing woman who lived from1098-1179CE. Hildegard was a mystic, author, musician, naturalist, artist, philosopher and cook who eventually became the Abbess of two convents. Hildegard is best known for her Illuminations, beautiful paintings of Divine Visions. As part of these Illuminations Hildegard coined the term "veriditas" which refers to "greening or healing power." According to Hildegard life in harmony with the Divine is moist, green, verdant and beautiful; while life cut off or separated from the Divine order is dry, brown, barren and brittle. Thus she described sin as being dry and brittle, easily broken, or dead and reconciliation as verdant or green, moist and full of life. In the dances of Universal Peace we have a song we sing that use the words of Hildegard. It goes like this:
We are greening, greening with life
We bear our fruit for all of creation.
We are greening, greening with life
We bear our fruit for all of creation.
Limitless love, from the depths to the stars
Flooding all, loving all
It is the royal kiss of peace.
For much of our country we have been in a period where not only is it winter on the calendar, but life seems somewhat dry and brittle, lacking hope and filled with fear. The economy is not turning around as fast as we might have hoped. Many are still under or unemployed. Times are uncertain at best. Yet if we claim to have faith in the God of Jesus Christ, we are called to trust in the greening power of God who always brings new life. So, as we move toward Easter and the celebration of new life in the world and in our hearts, may we each know the greening, resurrecting power of God. May we each feel the flood of God's love embracing us and our world. May we feel the royal kiss of peace. And may we share the fruit of this love with all of creation!
Shalom,
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