The Three Trees

I can't help it but every time Easter approaches, I recall this haunting story - of hopes and dreams that some somehow do get fulfilled, only not in the way we expect but in a gloriously unexpected manner. This point is ever more reinforced today as I continue my own stumbling journey to "Jerusalem" these last few days of Holy Week. May we never forget how much God loves us.

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" and he began cutting it down.

The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."

The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down."

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in storage.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe.

The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said, "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was
carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.

When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong
enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you.

If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Author Unknown

The Spirituality of The Icons

Like so many times before, my Lenten journey this year has consisted of huffing and puffing along unfamiliar roads. And, much to my embarrassment, it's not been so much taking "the road less traveled" rather it has been more of "the road NEVER taken before!". But interestingly, all this stumbling, bumbling, tripping and failing has brought me to places I'd never dreamed of going to! And so, my latest stop in this journey to Jerusalem is here:

The Spirituality of The Icons of the Orthodox Church.

Now, this is something I'd heard of, off and on over the years, but, had never taken seriously till today. Interestingly, today's readings touch on the subject of "blindness" - of being born with perfectly good eyes that cannot see! Ouch! That hurts! But, let me move on to the story of the Icons. For a detailed explanation of religious Icons go here.

Jesuit priest Fr. William Hart McNichols at Creighton University (one of 28 Jesuit Colleges and universities in the U.S.A,) is also an accomplished Iconographer. In his own words:

"I honor and revere the Byzantine icons and the profound spirituality of the Orthodox Churches. I try to bring true devotion and prayer into the process of creating (writing) an icon - dependent upon the inspiration of the Blessed Trinity, the saints, holy ones, and the Mother of God. As a Roman Catholic iconographer, I have no intention of assuming to be Orthodox, but continue to pray with many others, for holy unity brought about by the Spirit, amongst the Churches. In the words of Julian of Norwich: "For love's sake, let its pray together to God, with God's working: thanking, trusting, enjoying for our good Lord desires to be prayed to in this way. "

So, I thought for this week, I will try to pray, contemplating on one of Fr. McNichols' Lenten Meditative Icons: Jesus Christ Redeemer Holy Silence. Maybe you would want to try it too.

Happy Stumbling!

Let's Go To Jerusalem

For many of us, me included, a retreat would be an excellent way to get out of the rat race for a while, away from the hustle and bustle and the noise that envelops our daily lives. Among other things, it could be a time to become more aware of ourselves, a time to recharge our depleted batteries and to make sense of the direction of our lives. Fortunate are those who can actually manage this. But what about the rest of us, who, for one reason or another, can't make it to a retreat? Well, now with the power of the Internet, "if you can't go to a retreat, then the retreat will come to you!". Here is an excellent online retreat from Sacred Space, the website run by the Irish Jesuits. This Lenten season, may this simple retreat help each one of us find our bearings in our own Journey to Jerusalem.

First Words

Why "Under The Fig Tree"? Well, I was searching for a Biblical metaphor or image to use as the title of a new blog specifically on Christian spirituality. This "quest" led me to one thing and another until finally, while stumbling around in the vast maze that is the world wide web, I ended up at the Catholic encyclopedia website www.newadvent.org where under the category "Plants in the Bible" I found this reference to the humble fig tree:


Figs (Hebrew te’ênim), the fruit of the fig tree (Hebrew te’ênah), Ficus carica, growing spontaneously and cultivated throughout the Holy Land. The fruit buds, which appear at the time of the "latter rains" (spring), are called "green figs" (Song of Songs 2:13; Hebrew pag, cf. Beth-phage), which, "late in spring" (Matthew 24:32), ripen under the overshadowing leaves, hence Mark, xi, 13, and the parable of the barren fig tree (Matthew 21:19, 21; Mark 11:20-6; Luke 13:6-9). Precociously ripening figs (Hebrew bikkurah) are particularly relished; the ordinary ripe fruit is eaten fresh or dried in compressed cakes (Hebrew debelah: 1 Samuel 25:18, etc.). Orientals still regard figs as the best poultice (2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21; St. Jerome, "In Isaiam", xxxviii, 21, in P.L., XXIV, 396).

And the further I read, the more I realized the less I knew - about figs and fig trees, metaphors and images, my faith, sacred history, anything and everything! I learnt how St. Augustine had interpreted the term "fig tree" as a metaphor for the human race. Then I remembered the story of the Fall, the subsequent exile and the fig leaves that offered Adam and Eve their first clothing. Talk about a real catechism class!

Finally, since just yesterday was Valentine's Day, I leave with these words from the Songs of Songs, again taken from the newadvent website:

'The fig tree hath put forth her green figs: the vines in flower yield their sweet smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come: My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, show me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely." - the story of Christ's love for his bride - which is each one of us.

Welcome! And, Happy Valentine!