Do we grow Hollywood or HolyWood in our Garden?

January 21st, 2009

One of the lessons I received in childhood, which greatly impressed me, is how weeds so closely imitate their genuine counterparts. The devil does know how to appear as an angel of light for sure! Before I was let loose to weed in the garden, I had to learn the difference. I was amazed how in the corn patch, there was a stocky grass that so closely resembled it. In the rows of carrots, there was a weed with the very same frondy tops, there was the same leggy vine in the beans, and so it went for each variety of plant, both vegetables and flowers. Where each was planted, there was a weed that grew with it that was its twin in appearance, but barren in its fruits. Really astonishing when you think about it... a real miracle which is so overlooked. Weeds don’t have brains, how did they know their best chances for survival, would be to slink into the shadows of the real thing, and pass unobserved? And the thing with weeds, is if you don’t pull them while they are young, they grow so much faster than their counterpart, they absolutely take over. Greedily absorbing all of the nutrients, all of the sun, the genuine plant soon suffocates and dies. Or, if perchance it does live, the roots become so entangled in those of the weeds, it is nearly impossible to uproot the one without uprooting the other, and so it is a real mess. It is important to uproot the weeds while they are very small, or risk the chance of losing everything. And once uprooted, without continued vigilance and maintenance, they are right back and at it again, so it is an ongoing process if we hope to end up with anything come fall.

I really think this is one of those lessons in nature that is most carefully placed there by our Creator, for us to observe and learn from. It is even in Scripture, about the wheat and the cockle.

So, all of this came to life the other day, when we were watching a program on tv. It was one of those talent shows, where these kids hope and pray they will make it to the “top”, but very few do, and it is heartrending to hear them interviewed after they lose. “It’s my dream, and they told me to forget it! I’m no good! What else is there to live for?” and then for those who do make it, “I am in heaven! I have everything I ever prayed for! Money! Fame! I am finally something! The entire world is looking at me now! Thank you Lord!”

Oh! What an illusion! It is so backwards! They have mistaken the weed of worldly fame for the true plant of success, which usually grows where it is overlooked by the world, but beloved by heaven as an obedient Child of God! Oh! The true and unsung heroes, seen and loved on the unseen but most worthy stage of heaven. There they are applauded and awaited by millions to join them in the most incredible luxury, one that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, that is beyond the imagination of man. Who are these heroes? They are the simple people in all walks of life, the regular folks, you and me. Those husbands who go to work quietly every day, providing for their families with love. Those housewives that say yes to God in imitation of Mary, accepting the children He sends them. Seeing them as the most beautiful of flowers in the garden of the family… these are the true plants which bear the everlasting fruit of happiness. Fragile and in need of the constant nourishment of prayer and the Sacraments if they are to grow. Vigilantly weeded by the practice of all the virtues, of patience, of faith, hope and love.

Yet, how few look at their humdrum lives this way! How many of us secretly envy the lifestyles of those who have “made it” in the world, and wished ours was easier and a bit more exciting ? That suave guy who has the fancy cars, a number of the world’s most beautiful women, the mansion in Europe? Now that’s the life! What man would choose the house full of screaming kids, the overweight wife, the car that needs an overhaul? Yet in the eyes of heaven, it is this tired husband that is the fruitful plant. Full of the love of God and family, faithfully fulfilling his duties. Every act of love shines like the sun in the eyes of heaven. It is he who bears the fruit of eternal happiness and contentment.

It is the playboy that is the sorry weed. To all appearances he is so hardy, so big and strong, life is so easy! No kids, no wife, no worries… he does his own will regardless of consequence, recklessly breaking the laws of God, and is seen as daring and sexy for doing so. Yet his heart is empty and barren even here, and there is a constant search for happiness. Perhaps that man’s wife will fill the void in his heart? Perhaps drugs will do it? Another house maybe? A face lift? It is all barren in the end, and so empty. Life is lived and when he dies, unless he grew in wisdom somewhere along the way, there is little to show for it.

It is the plant of virtue we must grow, the acts of love we do, that will bear fruit and grow for eternity. This is the garden we must learn to live in if we will be truly happy even in this life. Even we who tend to be more religious… we must fully realize this. A few years ago, I was feeling a bit down, wishing I could do more, be more… not in a Hollywood way, but in a good way. I wished I could help the poor and less fortunate better, like a nun did, but I was just a housewife folding laundry and doing dishes, and I knew that one best pleases God by fulfilling our duties first. Still… I felt so like I should do more and it nagged me constantly. I knew all about St. Therese’s Little Way, I’d grown up on it… and looking back now, I see I just wasn’t fully living it. My heart was not fully open yet, and I was still torn between the ways of the world and the ways of God, and trying to make up my mind which path to fully commit to.

One day, I picked up The Way of Divine Love by Sr. Josefa Menendez. It was an interesting book, but one passage especially leapt off of the page and shouted at me. I was so excited I ran to share it with my mom, who had similar thoughts. Here was Sister Josefa, busy thinking these same thoughts, wishing she could do more, and here she was, just a little nun, struggling along, not much good at anything but making and mending clothes. While she was working, Jesus showed up, and He told her that as long as she united her actions with His, no matter what it was, even sweeping the floor, it became so large, so magnificent, so powerful in the eyes of God, she did more than the most capable of preachers. Wow! Now that was something any of us could imitate, even me. My heart was filled with hope! There were a lot of dirty floors in my life to sweep, and to think all I had to do was say “Here Lord. I put my hands in Yours, and I put my broom in Yours, now let us sweep together with the same intention You had, when you swept the floors of St. Josephs workshop. I can’t express to you the joy it gave me, knowing I could do that and be doing something so worthwhile. Because I can tell you, when Jesus swept the floor, He knew how to make it into such an act of love, this love acted like the sun, and poured onto souls like the sun onto plants, making them healthy. Never mind we don’t understand it all, He does. All we have to do is join our acts with His, and leave the rest to Him! How much easier does it get?

Oh dear brothers and sisters! If only you could see the beauty woven into your life, whatever it is! Whoever you are, whatever you do, as long as you do it with Jesus and Mary, with their love of God and neighbor, what a beautiful life that is! You are blooming into such a beautiful rose. This is the life of the truly rich and famous. Never mind we don’t feel it or see it that way, faith is what glorifies God the most. Believe that that soiled diaper, when changed with our gentle Mother’s hands, turns into heavenly incense. Yes, really. And yes, I am quite imperfect and I still wrinkle my nose with the best of you as I learn these lessons.

But as we grow in doing all of the humdrum aspects of our lives with their hands, each one becomes an act of love which will shine forever in eternity. This is the true plant of HolyWood, the Cross, and carrying it daily with Christ is where true super stardom is. The Saints are those who best model this for us, they are the real "moviestars" and the ones we need to encourage our children to admire and imitate. Let us plant this Holy Wood in our lives, water it faithfully and help our children to grow in the love of it. Let us pray. AMEN.