Spring is Finally here! Thanks to be to God!
11 Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so.
12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.
13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
Genesis 1:11-
In other words, the first thing God did once He had firm land was to plant trees!
The Tree of Life, which God placed at the heart of the Garden of Eden, became a symbol of Jewish existence, a core value of individual and communal living: continuity. Our equivalent might be the family farm, maybe even our garden plots. Each year we plant and tend and harvest our crops with an eye to the future.
I think of the wonderful canned tomatoes we will have during the winter months. The tasty potatoes that will be baked, boiled or mashed for the holiday festivals. I am so eager to begin planting our potatoes, tomato plants, Zucchini, and everything else. The sprouts that shoot up in the Spring will bud and blossom during the early Summer and become a hopeful harvest by Fall. It is a cycle that we have come to expect, particularly living in rural Minnesota.
Even Jesus affirms the process: “The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.” (Mark 4:28) We have not seen the beginning of the process as I write this. Perhaps in the next couple weeks, if the ground moisture recedes. That will bring us around to about mid-May.
Which brings up the topic of Rogation Sunday, May 13th. If you are not familiar with Rogation Sunday, Rogation Sunday is the day when the Church has traditionally offered prayer for God’s blessings on the fruits of the earth and the labors of those who produce our food. The word “rogation” is from the Latin rogare, “to ask.”
Historically, the Rogation Days (the three days before Ascension Day) were a period of fasting and abstinence, beseeching God’s blessing on the crops for a bountiful harvest. For us who directly derive our livelihood from the production of food, whether from the field or the garden, it is good to be reminded of our dependence upon those who do and our responsibility for the environment by focusing on the blessings of God that come from the earth.
While Rogation Sunday would be traditionally held on April 25th, we will hold ours on May 13th at both congregations. Our focus will be on agriculture, small and large scale. We will have a Blessing of the Tractors, Garden Tools, Seeds, Soil, and Water.
Our Hymn of the Day will be For the Fruit of All Creation and I invite you to bring your tractors (yes, full size), gardening tools: tillers, fertilizer spreaders (please no manure spreaders, for obvious reasons) to receive a blessing on your implements and planting season. Dress code of the day is farming and gardening attire.
And by the way, we will also have a Blessing of the Mothers in recognition of Mother’s Day. The history of God’s people demonstrates that we give attention to the One who blesses our labor. It would then seem, that a prayer, before planting, would definitely be proper. We will ask God to give your efforts success, that we may enjoy the fruits—or vegetables!—of our labor.
In the way of announcement, May 20th is Pentecost Sunday, remembering the coming of the Holy Spirit on the believers in Jerusalem. PLEASE WEAR RED ON THAT SUNDAY. In addition, Rev. Larry Wohlrabe, Bishop of the NW MN Synod of the ELCA will join us as the guest preacher.
May yours be a blessed Easter season where God will make a change(s) in your life. Spring is finally here. Thanks be to God!
~Pastor Kent