In the face of greater challenges, the more we must cling to His Sacred Heart
For two days earlier this week on 19 and 20 September, my group from the Sabbatical programme at the Mercy Center in Colorado Springs visited the picturesque Colorado natural landscape. Soaring waterfalls and a majestic mountain range that was wooded with tall pine trees offered us stunning scenes that were akin to the romantic hills I am familiar with in Vietnam’s Da Lat city.
On the morning of the third day, I had an opportunity to walk alone in this place on a path under the pines along the cliffs. In my solitude, these cliffs looked as though they were reaching up to touch the passing clouds in the blue sky. It was mesmerising. I was in awe of nature’s beauty in the midst of this enchanting scenery of great mountains and trees.
Somehow, I became fascinated with the tall sturdy pine trees and wondered how their roots were able to penetrate the ravines and solid rocks to find their way as deep as possible into the ground. The roots beneath the surface keep a pine tree anchored firmly in place and from breaking during heavy thunderstorms and strong winds.
Nutrients allow pine trees weather storms
I was so intrigued with what I witnessed with my own eyes that I whipped out my mobile phone to take photos of this phenomenon. I wanted concrete proof of this truth so that no one would doubt me if I told them this incredible story.
I spent some time admiring nature’s work with the pines because they grew and thrived in a very difficult, harsh environment. They must strive to find soil to take root, unlike the pines we often see along roadsides of luxury boulevards, or in national parks that get them with ease. Those were planted by people.
In the wild of these mountains, the pine trees had instinctively found a way to survive. And this they did with their roots winding their way through ravines and the crevices of rocks in the canyons or gorges until they find fertile soil, where there are nutrients to feed the tree trunk and allow it to grow into tall, large pines.
I gazed with fascination at the pine trees that stood before my eyes, as they stretched their shoulders up to the sky.
Alone in my thoughts, I pondered on the miraculous growth of these pines. Then, a light flashed in my mind to help me understand the meaning and value of the spiritual life, as well as the ordinary. These are issues that each of us often encounters in our daily lives. The more trials and tribulations we encounter, the more we must hold on to God. Only in this way, can we draw intense vitality from God, the source of life and of all graces. He is like the nutrient-rich soil wild pine trees feed on.
I was rejoicing and happy because God opened my heart and mind so that I can understand the wonderful truths about life. Even for me, there were times when faced with adversities or difficulties, I did not make an effort to let my roots grow – which is my relationship with God. I failed to let them be deeply entrenched in His Sacred Heart and feed on His graces and love. It would have allowed me to grow more in strength and faith in His abiding love for me.
I was deeply moved when I discovered that for a pine tree to grow big and stand tall its roots must go deep into the ground. But sometimes when it’s full of rocks they must find their way in between crevices of rocks, so that the roots can grow. Then, with time, these taproots (or main roots) will be able to penetrate deep into the nutritious ground to help the trunk become strong and stay upright, instead of wobbling or falling. Only, then, can it stretch its shoulders up into the sky.
God’s Nutrients (Graces) allow us to weather storms
I was extremely happy in the Colorado outdoors because I discovered a wonderful explanation for my own problems and when I faced trials and tribulations. Recently, for example, I was lying in bed for 10 days, as I was not able to move my legs or body. I could not get out of bed without any help from others.
Then, there were times when I was confined to bed with back pains and could not walk for days. In such times, I fell into depression and did not want to do anything anymore. But I did turn to God in prayer and asked for Our Mother Mary’s intercession to heal me from my illness. I pleaded for strength to overcome the unbearable pain in my body, especially the lower back.
When I was finally able to get out of bed on my own without any pain, I was overjoyed and thank God and Mother Mary with all my heart for restoring my health. At such times, I become conscious of what my grandparents used to say: Only health is more precious than anything else. Health is like gold.
If you have good health, then you can have everything. If we are sickly and confined to bed, even if we are wealthy, the sense of helplessness and unworthiness envelops us. It robs us of any desire for anything. Those who have experienced illness will sympathise and agree with what I am sharing here.
Sickness, terminal illness, failure, abandonment, loneliness and all such unfortunate circumstances are all challenges that each of us needs to face and try to overcome. It is like a pine tree growing on cliffs in the Colorado mountains where its roots must find a way through ravines and rocky crevices to find nutritious soil to stay alive.
For us, too, every adversity and trial are opportunities that God sends to us to put our roots along the ravines and to go deep to hold on to Him. Therefore, the more trials and tribulations we face, the more we must cling to Him and let the roots of our love to be deeply anchored in the heart of the Triune God.
I would like to ponder the words of Psalm 39 to conclude my sharing.
- For the leader, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
- I said, “I will watch my ways, lest I sin with my tongue;
I will keep a muzzle on my mouth.” - Mute and silent before the wicked, I refrain from good things.
But my sorrow increases; - My heart smoulders within me.
In my sighing a fire blazes up,
and I break into speech: - LORD, let me know my end, the number of my days,
that I may learn how frail I am. - To be sure, you establish the expanse of my days;
indeed, my life is as nothing before you.
Every man is but a breath. - Man goes about as a mere phantom;
they hurry about, although in vain;
he heaps up stores without knowing for whom. - And now, LORD, for what do I wait?
You are my only hope. - From all my sins deliver me;
let me not be the taunt of fools. - I am silent and do not open my mouth
because you are the one who did this. - Take your plague away from me;
I am ravaged by the touch of your hand. - You chastise man with rebukes for sin;
like a moth you consume his treasures.
Every man is but a breath. - Listen to my prayer, LORD, hear my cry;
do not be deaf to my weeping!
For I am with you like a foreigner,
a refugee, like my ancestors. - Turn your gaze from me, that I may smile
before I depart to be no more.
All images: Fr Peter Hung
The writer is on Sabbatical leave in the United States
