But the raggedness belongs. And in the midst of all the raggedness there is new fruitfulness. The blackberries are just beginning to come into their dark prime, the seeds of the sycamore are crisping for their swirly fall, and on the stream running through the village the water boatmen are out in force, paddling against the flow.
Learning to accept elements of our own raggedness is a key step towards maturity. We may like life to be tidy (and of course it’s feels good when it is) but the reality is that life is often not tidy. And we may wish for everything within us to be tidy, but as human persons we are frequently in an equinox state of transition. We are frequently ragged.
The teacher Jesus seems to have been very naturally aware of the seasons’ turnings in his own context. This of course is not surprising. Palestine 2000 years ago was a largely agrarian society, with most people reliant on the land or water for their livelihood and wellbeing. The gospel-writer Matthew recounts a typical story of Jesus, rooted in the seasonal landscape. Weeds have appeared in a field of wheat, sown there we are told, by an enemy of the farmer who owns the field. A discussion ensues about rooting up the weeds, but the farmer decides to let the weeds grow with the wheat, ‘for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them’. The weeds will in time be revealed to be the weeds they are, and the wheat will be safely gathered in.
In the same way we need perhaps to accept some of the raggedness of the weeds in and around us. They are often actually just the dark or shadow side of the things that are clearly good within us. Please note that this is not to deny their raggedness. We may need to seek some sorting of our raggedness. But acceptance of our raggedness may need to come first - and in that acceptance some fruitfulness may emerge.
It’s the Autumn Equinox, and everything is looking ragged. Time perhaps to reflect on our own raggedness. Some aspects may need urgent attention, but others may actually need our acceptance for our fruitfulness to emerge. The raggedness belongs.
words and pictures © Ian Adams 2012
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We seek to find the presence of God in the open air and in nature, and to connect with the Divine Being who is present in creation. We seek to foster a love of creation, a love which will lead us to care for it. We look for reconciliation between nature and human beings, and within human relationships. More ...
oxforddiocese:
Great to see how @RiponCuddesdon are engaging with @ARochaUK Eco Church scheme - love the Forest Church area made b… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
18 Aug 22
YBS_Church:
Our Forest Church takes place on Sunday, 28th August, at 4.30pm in the Gifford Community Woodland (Fawn Wood), for… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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rebeccaBug:
Tremeirchion have their first Forest Church service tomorrow so the boys thought they had better check out that the… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
20 Aug 22