Wildflowers and weeds

April 2021 has been dry and cold. Here in the South East of England, gardens are parched and the heavy clay soil is hard and solid. Great weather for walking but no so good for growing plants. Maintaining a perfect lawn at the moment is a challenging, to say the least.

On the plus side, where the grass struggles to grow the wildflowers thrive. Bluebells, daisies, violets and forget-me-nots are a welcome sight in gardens and parks. Bright yellow dandelions flourish. Seasoned gardeners watch and wait, knowing that it will be wise to take action before their flower heads become 'dandelion clocks' shedding their seed far and wide. Both wild flowers and weeds grow effortlessly with little help from we humans.

Wildflowers and weeds appear in the teaching of  Jesus. On the one hand, we are invited to marvel at the beauty of the wild flowers that surpasses that of even the best dressed monarch. Consider the wild flowers, Jesus tells his disciples, even Solomon in all his splendour was not dressed like one of these. (Luke 12:27). On the other hand, Matthew's parable of the sower is a reminder of the risk posed to the healthy growth of seed crops by thorns and weeds.  

While the sight of wildflowers in unexpected places is a thing of beauty and a source of joy, the unchecked spread of weeds is likely to bring grief up ahead. In nature, as in the whole of life, we do well to watch for the tell tale signs and take action at the right time to avoid problems later.

Consider the wild flowers... but watch out for the weeds.

The promise of spring

Spring 2021 seemed full of promise. As lockdown restrictions eased in England, bulbs and blossom brought joy and spoke of new life. On Easter Sunday, the sun shone while churches gathered for worship. Hymns were sung at outdoor services. The vaccination programme not only met but exceeded its targets. In Shakespeare's words, the winter of our discontent seemed set to give way to glorious summer.

By the end of Easter week everything had changed. An unseasonal cold snap, the death of Prince Philip, and concerns over vaccine safety brought a creeping sense that this spring might not deliver all it had appeared to promise. It seems it will be some time before the shape of the new normal emerges and becomes a reality in daily life.

Jesus' disciples experienced something similar at the first Easter. The events of Easter Sunday promised new life. Encounters with the resurrected Christ restored faith and rekindled hope. And yet, despite the sense that everything had changed, ongoing uncertainty characterised the daily lives of those who had been closest to Jesus. The days and weeks following the resurrection proved to be a period of transition and preparation for what was to come next.

At Easter, and each spring, we celebrate new life. This year, like the early disciples, we find ourselves making our way through a period of transition as we prepare for what lies ahead. In 2021, the promise of spring may take some time to become a reality. We wait in hope.