The creation story from the book of Genesis is so appropriate today, because May 1st is also known as May Day. Today, many people in different parts of the world will secretly give small baskets of flowers to their neighbors, by leaving them on their doorstep and then slip away before they are seen. It is a celebration of spring, and the beauty of all of God’s creation. It seems that all of nature is bursting with new life right now, at least in the northern hemisphere of the earth. Everything is turning green again and the colorful spring flowers are blooming more and more with each passing day. The bushes and trees are blossoming too, filling the air with their fragrance in the warm sunshine and gentle breezes. Spring is in the air and all of the natural world seems to be celebrating.
The robins are hopping around cheerfully in the tender new grass, looking for fat earthworms after the spring rains. The happy sound of the birds singing and chirping wake us up at daybreak each morning and the sound is almost deafening. The birds sound like they are happy just to be alive and want to tell us and our creator how glorious it is to greet the new day. The little rabbits creep out of the forest to eat the tender new clover and the squirrels and chipmunks have come out of their winter hiding as well, to sit and bask in the warm sunshine.
No one wants to be indoors right now and we find every excuse we can to go outside and do something. Anyone with a green thumb has already been looking at the new plants for their flower beds and seedlings for their vegetable gardens. There’s something about the rich warm earth that makes you want to sink your fingers into it and encourage something beautiful to come to life. God gives the growth, but we too can participate in nurturing the beauty of the natural world to flourish. This is also a way of acknowledging the beauty of God’s creation and seeing Him in all things that exist.After a long winter, the flowers are so fresh and beautiful. The colors make you happy just to look upon them. Even the little insects give glory to God just in how they live their lives.
And that’s the thing about nature that we could learn a lesson from. For an example, the birds are beautiful just the way God made them. A red cardinal is a beautiful bird that has deep red feathers with black markings and a fat yellow bill. He is absolutely beautiful just the way God created him. The cardinal does not have to do anything to earn God’s love.
A red cardinal simply gives glory to God by his existence, just the way he is. We as human beings are beautiful just the way God made us as well. You’ve heard it said that we are made in the image and likeness of God and that’s true. Even if we don’t think we are very beautiful people, in essence, we really are. We are wonderfully made by God and each part of our own bodies is a miracle of design, beauty and function. Our eyes are a miracle in themselves, how we are able to see our world. And how our fingerprints are unique to us. No one else in the entire world has the same fingerprints as we do. We are each special and precious and treasured by God.
On the sixth day “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. So he rested on the seventh day. We should remember to sit down after our hard work outdoors in the yard, the flower beds or vegetable gardens too and just rest a while and enjoy looking at the natural world. That is really what Sundays are all about too. Time to sit in the sunshine and simply rest and enjoy being alive. Some of us actually do not follow this commandment very well, to keep the Sabbath holy. We might be a lot more relaxed and happier in general if we actually do what God asks us to do. Even He took a day off work to rest and relax on the 7th day.
There is another thing that is special about today. May is traditionally observed as the month of Mary and May 1st is the most popular day for the May Crowning of Mary. Catholics throughout the world will create wreaths of flowers to crown Mary as our Mother and the Queen of Heaven. If you have a statue of Mary, you might like to crown her today too. It doesn’t have to be anything special, just a few blossoms from the flowers in your yard or stop on the way home for something fancier. Even a single rose, honors her. This would also be a good day to remember to say a rosary and simply offer it up for her intentions. Our lady is very beautiful just the way she is, but the flowers are a way of showing our love for her, even though Mary is surely showered with flowers in heaven too. Today is also the Feast of Saint Joseph and we will honor him at mass today as well. Saint Joseph loved Mary and Jesus and took good care of them and it’s a shame we can’t give him flowers too! It’s kind of funny though, that Mary and Joseph will each be honored today, in separate ways.
There is a great deal to celebrate today. It is good just to be alive on God’s good earth. May we share a bit of this joy with those around us today as well.
May the peace and love of Jesus Christ be with you. Have a wonderful day!
