St. Augustine, commenting on the feast of St. Lawrence which we celebrated the other day, says you don’t have to be a martyr to follow Jesus Christ. You can be who you are, where you are, by following him in his humanity. We all have our place, like the many flowers and plants in a garden.
The garden of the Lord includes – yes, it truly includes – not only the roses of martyrs but also the lilies of virgins, and the ivy of married people, and the violets of widows. There is absolutely no kind of human beings who need to despair of their call; Christ suffered for all. It was very truly written about him: who wishes all to be saved, and to come to the acknowledgement of the truth.
So let us understand how Christians ought to follow Christ, short of the shedding of blood, short of the danger of suffering death. The Apostle says, speaking of the Lord Christ, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not think it robbery to be equal to God. What incomparable greatness! But he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men, and found in condition as a man. What unequalled humility! (Augustine, On the Feast of St.Lawrence)
I notice in our garden these days some little plants and flowers I don’t know. There they are springing up unannounced and unnoticed. I don’t know their names or what they’re good for, but they bring their own beauty and completeness to our garden.
St. Francis de Sales used this same analogy to describe the various ways of holiness. So let’s notice and let’s learn from the humble flowers and plants in our garden. Not crabgrass, though. I don’t think it’s humble.
The Victor's Place 
Dear Father Victor, your reflection reads my mind. I always wonder how should I be following Christ. I always do more, only to find out that I should be doing less. Just kidding!
LikeLike
Dear Fr. Victor: Your humble garden is beautiful. I’m guessing that the first photo on the
left is clover, don’t know what the middle one is. The plants in the third look like a variety of fern and possibly wild geranium, also a bit like bleeding hearts leaves. The flowers at
the bottom look like variety of coneflower, which comes several colors. As for the crab-
grass, you’re absolutely right. It’s a thumb-your-nose-I’ll grow wherever I please plant!
It’s easier for it to grow than for people to dig it out. 🙂
Thank you for all the lovely photos of your Mary Garden that you’ve sent to us.
We miss you, but are blessed to be able to see and hear you online. Gloria & Ted
LikeLike
You’re right about the clover. Would you believe that the land our monastery is built used to be called, way back, “Clover Hill.” Best wishes.
LikeLike
I am reminded of St. Therese, the Little Flower, who wrote in The Story of a Soul,” about God’s garden.
“Jesus set before me the book of nature. I understand how all the flowers God has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away the perfume of the violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understand that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers. So it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden. He has created smaller ones and those must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God’s glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.”
LikeLike