Sprouting Up

A couple weeks ago, I referenced here the dry spell we've had over the last few months. During that time, some of the grass in our backyard withered, leaving unseemly patches of dirt here and there. A couple showers did make their way to our area during that stretch, and I was determined not to waste the opportunity. So I rushed out before the rain arrived to throw down some grass seed.

Each morning thereafter I would inspect the yard, hoping to see the grass pushing through the soil – but nothing came. After about the third week, I figured the seed had all died, and there was no reason to hope anymore that anything would sprout. So I decided to wait until rainy season to sow more seed.

Several weeks passed, and the rain came a few more times. Then one day I got a text from Ginger: "YOUR GRASS SEED IS SPROUTING!" When I got home, I rushed into the backyard, and sure enough, we had seedlings coming up in several places – and this after nearly two months of remaining fallow.

We were probably more excited than the event warranted; I mean after all it's only grass. But I think it was the unexpected nature of it. We thought it was dead. And dead always stays dead.

Or does it? This question comes to the fore as we move through Holy Week. Does death have the final word? As Christians, we know that it doesn't. But sometimes it feels otherwise. Sometimes death, sorrow and darkness seem to have won the day – even as it must have seemed to the disciples during Jesus' arrest, trial and crucifixion.

But as we walk through various valleys and seasons of dryness, there are at least two things we must remember as God's people:

1) The Lord walks with us through our hardships.

2) Sunday is coming and with it, new life.

Blessings

Fr. Darin+