Roots and Gratitude

“As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” — from Colossians 2:6-15,16-19

On my recent retreat to Green Bough House of Prayer, I was happy to see many of the trails in better shape than they had been in February. As you may recall, last fall the eye of Hurricane Helene passed directly over this sacred place I’ve loved for the last 30 years. Still visible on the property are many uprooted trees just off the main pathways. Some of these have root systems as tall as me. These will never be removed but will instead become part of the new landscape. Some of those old trees are already becoming food for new growth, and over time they will further blend into the land around them.

As we’ve continued to see images of devastation and hear stories of loss from the Hill Country, many people have used the language of displacement with me. We feel uprooted and unsure of what the future may hold.

This is nothing new for people of faith. The invitation is to look for how God is present to us in those times. To be dislocated in the world is an opportunity to seek a deeper place of rootedness that transcends time and space.

The summer formation series included many of you sharing stories of what grounded you in scripture and community life amidst the many changes we all experience. We’ve also begun some important work imagining a theme for our community life in the coming two years. Much more will be shared at the start of the program year, but the theme is: Rooted in Christ—Living Generously. There will be opportunities to gather in small groups and discern together the work God is calling us to in this next season of life, even as we continue to feed San Antonio with the Bread of Life. So stay tuned!

Alongside our communal life, we are also called to reflect intentionally on the foundations of our personal faith. I love the image that Paul offers us in Colossians from this week’s lectionary: we are invited to root ourselves in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to be rooted in Christ?

For me, it’s about intentionality. I need to pay attention of how I spend my time. Have I taken time for intentional prayer? Am I reaching out to people who are important to me? Am I caring for my physical body as well as my daily tasks?

There is no magic answer to these questions. But when I take the time to ask them, I am more faithful to the practices that keep me rooted in Christ. The gift of these practices is that they always leave me more grateful. The more I see my life—especially in challenging times—as rooted in the peace and abundance only God can give, the more I can approach life with a posture of gratitude. I begin to see what is here for me rather than worry about what might be missing.

It also grounds me in the present. God is made manifest in countless small moments that remind us of the preciousness of this one life we’ve been given. May you seek and see these moments, and find Christ present in all of them.

Peace, Beth +