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I was thinking about this poem as I worked in my yard recently. I hear people at different garden centers say, " It was a rough winter for trees and shrubs." If I heard it once, I've heard it every time I stand in the check-out line. And, some of my trees and shrubs are proof that; "It was a hard winter for trees and shrubs." And, as I prune and mulch the trees and shrubs, I thought of kids growing up! Bear with me!
A few years ago I ordered a lot of seedling trees. I planted them all. Some have made it up to now. Others died the first, second or third year. They are small in comparison to the older, larger trees on my property. The survivors keep putting down their roots and are taking hold.
During the winter months, when there is snow, they are buried under huge snowdrifts. It's amazing that they survive cold, snow and being buried. Along comes summer and the heat. These survivors require more water and care then the mature trees. They survive the storms, the cold, the hot, and two dogs!
Hopefully, long after I am gone, somebody will enjoy the beauty of these seedlings trying to become trees. If they could only talk and tell their story. It's not easy for a seedling to survive our Minnesota seasons: extreme heat and cold; tornadoes; too much rain or too little rain; winter and summer storms. Some have made it for four years and their roots are growing deeper and the storms are making them stronger.
Those of us who are "mature" have survived the different seasons of life, we've endured the storms, the droughts, the rains, the tornadoes, etc. We've put our roots down, and we stand tall. It's not easy to be a human being, and it's even more difficult in these days to try and live a Christian life. How have we survived the decades, the changes in society and in the Church, the loss of loved ones and our own physical aches and pains? Is it all about our roots, our deep, hidden strength that prevents us from being uprooted and destroyed by the frequent storms of life?
Our younger generation, children, teens, young adults are putting their roots down. And they have plenty of storms to face: peer-pressure, the "culture", the media, advertisements, expectations, challenges left and right, you name it, they are exposed to it.
As a parish community, St. John's is committed to helping our younger "seedlings" put down their roots. We love them as they become teenagers, adolescents, young adults, searchers, questioners, rebels, doubters. (Just keep me out of the canoes and away from Valley Fair!)
We have recently hired a couple, Libby and Brad Dupont to be our youth ministers. When they were hired, I told them my expectations: love our kids, pray for them, and love them even more! What does a youth minister do? They help our younger members put down roots. Both Libby and Brad come from a background of working with teens. They are committed to Christ and the Church. They will need your help, your volunteering, your gifts, your knowledge, your time.
Also, Fr. Michael Keating, our associate pastor, has a group for post-Confirmation teens who want to know more about their faith, scripture, and what it means to be Catholic. If you are a parent of a sophomore, junior, or a senior in high school, and your teen has questions, call Fr. Michael and find out more about his group.
Has it been a rough year for you on your spiritual journey? Don't give up--put down your roots in our rich tradition of the Catholic faith.
Peace!
Fr. Bill
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