Catholica: I am doing something new. Do you not perceive it?

In our upside-down-world Alan Simpson concludes his series of gentle reflections on the Sunday readings during Lent with this bobby dazzler! Enjoy...

It's early March as I write this. Here in the Northern Hemisphere the trees are bare, the grass mostly a dull tan color as Old Man Winter reluctantly releases his frigid fingers from Creation's throat. He still rules the night; temperatures hover near or below freezing. The days are usually warmer though not yet warm enough to store away the sweaters and jackets. The cold of death still lurks in the shadows.

The Old Man is a great deceiver. A year ago he pretended to depart. The wild plums and pears burst into bloom, the hills and valleys awash in snow-white blossoms promising abundant food for wildlife, jelly and preserves for me. The newly formed fruit was barely visible when one morning I awoke to a world of white. Heavy frost covered everything from the lowest pebble in the creek to the highest point on the barn. Then came a snow storm and a week of deep freeze. No plums survived. The few pears matured small and misshapen.

This morning the sun rose due east of my house. A brilliant sunbeam cut through the leafless trees across the road, through the high front window and two interior doors, and filled the back bedroom with a golden glow. In the afternoon I went down to one of the small lakes. The fish are beginning to move about again. Finches and mocking birds are looking for nesting sites. Pears and plums are cautious this year but a few brave trees of other species showed a faint halo of green, new life claiming victory over desolation.

Overhead I heard — and eventually saw — several large flocks of Sandhill Cranes migrating north to their breeding grounds, their loud calls of encouragement to each other a nearly certain sign that Old Man Winter is near his end. Geese and ducks will follow. In a few weeks I'll open the door and find a hummingbird staring at me, asking "Why haven't you put out my feeder? I'm hungry!" Soon after will come thousands of migrating Monarch butterflies to feast on poisonous milkweed, the hawks on rodents, the vultures on road kill. The cycle of life continues as it has for centuries.

Thus says the Lord … Remember not the events of the past, the events of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? [Isaiah 43:18-19]

Isaiah is not, of course, talking about last year's fruit crop failure, or this change of season that always makes me feel alive and excited. The Babylonian exile is ending. God is once again taking His people home, to the land promised to them. "The events of the past" refers to the exodus from Egypt and the eventual conquest of Canaan. As important as those times were, this new return home — in the present and in the future — will be more wondrous.

Isaiah is telling the people to stop putting their faith in memories of mighty acts and glories in the past and look to even more amazing events in the future. It takes strong faith to perceive the new things the Lord is doing. That sort of faith is lacking in some parts of the contemporary church. Far too many look back to the comforting routines of yesterday, willing to return to Egypt or stay in Babylon because the path seems too dangerous.

In two weeks we will marvel at an Empty Tomb. Do we have faith enough to follow where the Lord leads us now?

Today is the last Sunday in Lent, so this is the last article of the series. Thank you all for reading. I appreciate the opportunity to share some thoughts with you. There is no way a dozen or so pages of text can even begin to examine the depth and breadth — the true "catholicity" — of the Faith called Christian. We really do see 'as in a glass, darkly.' The best we can do is to do our best at a given moment.

Easter comes in the Springtime here. All the visual images I associate with Easter involve new life appearing after the apparent death of winter: flowers, fresh new grass, young leaves on the trees, an empty tomb . Yes, fluffy baby chicks and chocolate-ear bunnies as well. Did I mention the Cadbury creme eggs that show up this time of year, so full of calories and symbolism from the nails on the outside to the brilliant "son" shine at their heart? Since Christianity developed in the Northern Hemisphere, this all seems perfectly normal to me. I've often wondered if Easter is 'imaged' differently down under, because of the opposite seasons. If so, maybe someone could write an article about it?

Photo Credits:
The principal photos to accompany this reflection I found on a delightful blog by a Lynn S, located in Oklahoma. Her blog, which is titled "Life is a Sweet, Familiar Dissonance". The photos on her blog are delightful and it is worth visiting her blog to immerse yourself in them. I was initially attracted to her blog merely by the photos but investigating further, I found Lynn describes herself as a "non traditional Christian" and I thought this dame and her photos would also fit in here quite well! Please visit her blog at www.lynnspace.com/b2/index.php?cat=17 and enjoy the view. Ed.

Alan Simpson is a leading member of a number of the online communities from which Catholica Australia evolved. He is semi-retired and lives on a ranch in the wilds of western north Texas, where he raises grass for cows, goats and sheep. Alan is a member of the board which is being established to provide a channel of financial accountability to the philanthropic supporters of Catholica Australia.

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