How many autumns do we have left?
I love the season of fall. My allergies don't. I spend the few short months snorting and slurping over snotty noses and hayfever headaches, but the wonder and beauty of the season never escape me. I can only count on one hand how many autumns I have truly appreciated. I have lived through 42 of them. I can only recall the season in memory for approximately 30 years. Many of my memories have blended together. I am hyper-aware of the season this year.
Ephesians 4: 7-16
This reading is all about our gifts. It doesn't reference that some of us have gifts from Christ and some do not. Paul states that we all have gifts from God. Some are apostles, some are prophets, and others as evangelists, pastors, teachers, healers, and helpers. We can see the kind heart in the laity of the Church. I have known many with a calling to speak and evangelize. Many of these people I call friends and mentors.
Paul states that as we move from small children to maturity, we should be recognizing these gifts and use them. This is our purpose. As creations, we are to use the gifts from the creator to bring more of His creation to Him. Ultimately, our goal is to be reunited with God the Father, the Son, through our unity with the Holy Spirit. That's it. Sounds simple, right?
I often work and write next to a window in my basement office. Outside the window, I can see between my oak and maple trees. In the fall, the leaves change and as the process begins, I always tell myself to admire the color while I can. I know that it's a short cycle. How many times have I watched the leaves begin to change and fall, and I haven't taken the time to enjoy it? How many autumns have come and gone and I have used precious time on some other meaningless task? A few weeks ago, I remember telling myself that I needed to go out into nearby parks with my camera to capture some of these moments. The weeks have passed and the trees are half bare. I still appreciate the beauty that is left, but the time is now gone. How many autumns do I have left to enjoy these moments? How much of our life is like this?
I am reminded through Google photo memories, or social media, of where I was on this date 5 years ago, 8 years ago. How quickly time passes and our families grow. Our children will not stay in those moments long. How many autumns will I wait to use my gifts?
Jesus uses these images in the parable of the fig tree. In Luke 13: 1-9. We see Paul's gifts paralleled here by Christ describing a Fig tree that will bear no fruit. The vineyard owner continues to visit a particular fig tree each season, and after many seasons of no fruit, he says the tree should be removed. The vinedresser (Jesus), says to wait another season.
How often are we like the fig tree? We are given good soil to grow in, and we have the conditions to grow fruit, but over many seasons, we don't use the time to love our neighbors. We don't forgive. We hold hardness and pride in our hearts for all the anxiety and stress we must bear each day. It's not fair, and so we cling to it. Instead of using the gifts that we were given to multiply fruit, we sit spiritually barren. Worse yet, some people produce sour fruit from these conditions.
The leaves fall and we move through our seasons. How many autumns do we have left? How many seasons do we have left to bear fruit? What I find amazing in all of this, is God's willingness to return to us each season and check for our fruits. His will and desire for us are to find peace, understand our calling, and to understand our purpose in life. What patience our creator has. Season after season, God relays to us his desire and love. God is the Father of the prodigal son, the shepherd that searches for the lost sheep. He meets us at the well and desires to drink from our being. Like the samaritan woman, he offers us the answer. He offers healing and truth.
Jesus came because we couldn't do it on our own. He intercedes for us to the Father. He has paid for the years of our barrenness. We can never pay this back. We can allow Christ to change us. We can allow him to bring forth fruit on our branches. God not only planted us in green pastures, watered us, and gave us life and time, he also sent a vinedresser and helper to help us. How perfect of a plan.
