Last week we heard this paradox: Lose your life to save it. This week we have another paradox: to be first, be last. Jesus gives the example of bending down to a child. Bending down is one way to care for creation. We bend down to weed, to plant seeds, to capture caterpillars, to pick beans and strawberries, to uproot onions and carrots. Bending is sometimes a posture of humility. Often our bodies might feel the pain. Perhaps the old saying “Close to the sod, close to God” came from previous generations who spent the time farming and gardening to pray—if not explicitly at least from a grateful heart that receives the bounty and sees the beauty.

Prayer:  Inspire your people, O God, to practice simple living, and strengthen our resolve to respect creation and preserve the earth’s resources. Give us generosity to share the fruit of the earth