By: Fr. Elmer Holtman
TEC of Central Texas Spiritual Director
On Palm Sunday’s vigil, I gazed out of the window of my study at Eagle’s Wings Retreat Center in Texas hill country. Last week, I would have seen a sea of bluebonnets at the height of their bloom. This week, however-- Holy Week-- there are just a few waving goodbye in the wind. The beauty of nature that people admire for about two weeks a year is now gone. They are all dying!
The dying blooms are transforming into seed pods that literally explode when mature, spreading their seeds in all directions. Each plant has the capacity of producing over a hundred seeds. These seeds will lie dormant on the grounds awaiting the fall rains. Just at the right time and conditions, these seeds will sprout and begin their journey all over again.
I personally would like to see these beautiful flowers last at least throughout the summer. But if the flowers never died, there would be no seeds or hope for flowers for the future. The flower has to die and give up its life so that it may experience the resurrection of a new life. Unless the bluebonnet seed falls to the ground and dies, it remains just one seed; but if it falls into the ground and dies, it produces a hundred fold. Now that should sound familiar to all you who have experienced TEC!
How fortunate we are to romance this great mystery again this week. I suppose it would be enough if it were only the resurrection of Jesus and eventually our own resurrection that we are celebrating. However, the good news is that our lives are filled with multiple resurrections. We are called to notice and be thankful for the ordinary, everyday gifts of “resurrections” in our lives – again, and again, and again, a constant Dying, Rising, and Sending.
To all our TEC communities, I wish to wish you a very, very good and happy Easter! And may you leave behind you a string of empty tombs.
