Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
1 Jn 2:1-5a
Lk 24:35-48

Taking Time to Water
The last ten days a group of friends have been helping us bring color and softness to our zeroscape landscaping. Zeroscape landscaping uses plant and trees that need less water and as a result honor the patterns of the desert. I have learned this new way of living with respect to land and water fall since moving to the Southwest. I am still in a learning process. It is very different from the world that I grew up in the Midwest.

One of the friends was working with us in the yard today. We had purchased some native grasses and plants to bring beauty to our backyard. We were discussing the best way to use the already installed drip system that is mystifying to us. Our friend said to us, “You can use the drip system, but I would suggest that you water the plants and trees manually until you have a sense of connection with them. Then if you want, set up the drip system to meet their needs.” As a lover of nature and the earth I appreciated her framing our plants and trees watering needs from a relationship point of view.

It strikes me that in the Third Sunday of Easter Jesus did the same thing for the disciples. The disciples are discussing all that has been happening the last days in Jerusalem and Jesus approaches with a greeting of peace. Not just a hello which would be good for any passerby, but with a greeting that offers connection…relationship. He doesn’t stop there, he moves into the stories by connecting them into a sequence that paints the relationships between each of the happenings. It is then when their hearts are full He steps into a deeper place by sharing not only peace, but also a simple meal. This gesture of sharing time and food connect the disciples to all of the previous meals that they have shared with Jesus. This meal wove once again that Jesus came not just to give a message, but to be the message in relationship.

How might Jesus come into our lives this week to be in relationship? Will I dare to slow down long enough to listen and to fed?