It’s that time of year again. Time to get outside, to take a walk through the garden and the lawn. It’s time to weed and seed. But whether you’re a gardener, or just a person who likes a well-manicured lawn, one thing is true: you will encounter crabgrass.
Crabgrass (Digitaria), grows by spreading its low-growing stems over the soil, sending out spikelets or digits (like fingers), its florets producing seeds which fall to the ground, germinate, and produce more weeds. If gone unnoticed, it will spread and continue to germinate throughout the growing season, eventually choking out healthy plants. Crabgrass can often be seen growing even among the most beautiful flowers in our garden.
Like crabgrass, sin deposits its seeds and spreads, sometimes just beneath the surface. We may ignore its tentacle-like hold on our lives until it becomes uncontrolled behavior which threatens to choke out our healthy self. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is an effective way to rid the "garden of our soul" of its weeds of sin. It allows light to enter and seeds of goodness to germinate, producing only beautiful flowers and healthy "soul-gardens."
As crabgrass is a symptom of an uncared for lawn, so sin is a symptom of a neglected "soul-garden." Spring is the season of growth and rebirth. Light is abundant and rain moistens the earth. What better time to eradicate the "crabgrass" in our own souls! During these seven weeks of Easter, may we nourish our "soul-gardens" with waters of rebirth and lifegiving prayer and penance. Happy gardening!
