where love can grow

In the middle of a downtown street I came upon a small oasis. Emerging out of a six inch perfectly round hole lay a patch of cool green surrounded by a swath of sweltering black asphalt. Wall to wall, a carpet of lush grass concealed a gas manhole cover and in the middle I spotted a ladybug crawling on a tiny white clover flower. Transfixed, I was amazed that this beautiful tableau could arise in such an adverse place where presumedly nothing could grow - nothing perhaps, except road rage.

But how was it possible? Frequent traffic traverse this intersection threatening immanent trampling. Little water could penetrate to enliven the bare and fragile earth. And the scorching summer pavement would make even the hardiest plants wither without hesitation. Yet out of this most inhospitable environs shot forth the seed of possibility. An island of hope took root and love blossomed.

The reality was that the street was simply returning to its natural state. Provided a crack in its hard surface, the seed of god's nature broke through the mean streets of everyday life. The indomitable spirit penetrated the nature of man-made reality and revealed its original nature beneath - that is, the ground of love.

We are told about such places in today's gospel parable. The prophet concedes, however, that these precarious conditions often ensure a fruitless harvest. Though the plant may germinate in a variety of landscapes, it never fully matures unless the ground is well prepared. But our hope in the prodigal farmer, who refuses to neglect even the most difficult places, is undaunted. Regardless of the fact that some soil may provide a more enriching environment than others, there always remains the potential for full flowering. The teaching reveals that the undiscriminating spread of the divine seed of love fills us no matter who or where we are.

Should an opportunity arise to break through the often impenetrable surface of our heart, these ripening seeds promise to cover our full being. The ultimate flowering of life is to return to our natural state - to let the seeds of love mature and yield a flourishing oasis even in the harshest environments.

love, always,

pia