This month I have been blessed by God’s servants, the bees, in St. John’s memorial garden.  

However, the garden where the remains of so many of our beloved siblings in Christ rest, right outside my office window, has not always buzzed with pollinators, because it is hard for most plants to grow there. It only receives water when it rains, and it is exposed to the sun during the heat of the day. The brick labyrinth, the windows and the walls make a perfect little oven out of our beautiful courtyard that heat and dry that patch of soil very effectively.

So, this summer, Norma and Donald did something about it. They installed a watering system for that garden on a timer.

As a result, the plants have been thriving, hence the happy, buzzing bees (and the very blessed priest).

It is important in the Season of Creation (and all year round) to face our failures and name our sins against God’s good creation that have led to climate change, environmental degradation, pollution, species loss, extinction, and more.

However, if we only do that, there is a danger of falling into despair and coming to the mistaken belief that what we do doesn’t matter.

The bees happily humming in the memorial garden remind me that our actions can and do make a difference for the good.

As we face where we have harmed the natural world, take strength from where we have helped. Take strength and be blessed by the story of the bees at St. John’s, by the return of the herring to our waters, by the restoration of salmon spawning habitat, by the remarkable recovery of Howe Sound.

Inspired, let us see where there is need, and with God’s help, let’s do something about it.

Thanks be to God!

CG+