October Dialogue with the Word

“Think of yourself as a tree…”

       Words of God to Catherine of Siena

            Carla Mae Streeter, OP

The full quotation is
“So think of yourself as a tree made for love and living only by love…
There is a circle in which this tree’s root, your love, must grow.
That circle is true knowledge of yourself, knowledge that is joined to me, God,
who like the circle have neither beginning nor end.
You can go round and round with in this circle,
finding neither end nor beginning, yet never leaving the circle…”     Dialogue 10

It is autumn, and the trees are revealing much to us if we have eyes to see. The Church, the Wisdom Woman, is looking for fruit. Yes, a fruitful tree speaks of rich growth, of fertility. Where does this fruit come from? What feeds it? The tree that is myself is fed by the fruit of another tree, the tree of the cross, which blossoms into resurrection. The life comes from the Paschal Mystery, and the Church never ceases to ponder it, year in, and year out.

These weeks of October will find a certain fruit being called forth as the Church shapes the scriptures put before us. She knows what she is after. It is not chancy. She knows what a beautiful tree looks like, and she will settle for nothing less. We have less than ten weeks left in this season of Ordinary Time. The harvest time is here. It’s time to collect and display our delicious fruit…and what are we asked to show?

First, we will be asked for our ID. We belong to the Shepherd. We listen and follow. Then we are shown that our fruit is not for ourselves, but to be given away. Then we must be dressed properly so we can be identified as disciples. Christ Jesus is himself our wedding garment. Then we will be reminded that we have two sets of relationships: to our Shepherd and to our brothers and sisters, who make claim on us. Finally, we will be asked if our fruit is delicious. Love makes it sweet, not bitter and sour. In the end, love covers a multitude of efforts not as successful as we had hoped. So it is harvest time. Check the fruit of your precious tree.

What would I do if I remembered

that I’m planted in the circle of your love?

How would I feel if I got up in the morning

put my feet in my slippers and remembered?

How do you feed me in this circle?

With the water of your tears as you took our DNA in Mary’s womb?

With the fire of your blood as you emptied yourself out to buy us back on the cross?

With that bread that is yourself hidden away in the tabernacles of our chapels and hearts-

your final bending down to wash our feet

so we can go and do likewise?