May 24, 2026

Dear Parishioners,

Last week at the opening of the parish garden I was instructed on the box planting method used by our volunteer gardeners for each of the plots. Each garden bed is divided into a grid of 12X12 squares. Each square is given one plant/seed. So, one square has cucumber, another square has dwarf tomato, another square has squash, another has sunflower seeds, and so on. I asked about the rationale for each particular plant because it seemed like it wasn’t random or arbitrary (choosing whatever vegetables someone likes). I was informed that some plants were chosen because they grow fast, others because they grow slow, others because they give a consistent yield throughout the summer. Some plants grow tall (like tomatoes) and are placed next to plants that are low-growing and fine in shade (like lettuce). Some grow deep (like carrots) and are placed next to shallower plants (like onions) so that nutrients are being pulled from different soil levels.

What intrigued me the most was the presence of flowers. Yes, in a couple of the squares were no vegetable or seed, but a flower. Flowers can’t be eaten, of course, so why were they being planted? Sure, they were pretty, but weren’t they wasting a space, lessening our harvest?

Oh, foolish Father James. I was further informed of how functional the flowers actually are. They act as pollinators as well as deterrents. The bright flowers attract bees and butterflies, who then, of course, pollinate the various crops that need pollination (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers). The flowers also attract other “good pests,” like ladybugs, which eat the bad pests. And some of the bright flowers emit strong scents that deter certain bugs that would otherwise eat the crop.

This all made me think of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit. Our first reading is the story of the tower of Babel. God says this to himself when he sees the people collaborating in a prideful way: “If now, while they are one people, all speaking the same language, they have started to do this, nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do” (Genesis 11:6, emphasis mine).

Why was building a tower to the sky such a bad thing? Because it wasn’t God’s will. It was an idea the people conjured up themselves and for no other reason than to be able to touch the sky and be God. God might have wanted them to actually build the tower if they had asked for it. But they didn’t. They wanted to do it for their own selfish reasons and they went ahead with it. Instead of building a useless tower, they could have built homes for the poor, perhaps a wall to protect their city. Or they could have used the time and effort to farm and provide food for the community. Perhaps God was calling them to do these activities instead of building a tower.

When we do whatever we presume to do, the effort usually crumbles. All of those people who volunteer to maintain a plot in our parish garden can’t do whatever they want. They can’t water the plants whenever they feel like it. They can’t just plant all sunflowers or tomatoes or whatever their favorite vegetable is. If they did, the effort would crumble. They constrict themselves to the parameters, and the effort is fruitful.

It is sort of like our faith, no? We don’t just pray whenever we want, go to Mass whenever we want, pick and choose whatever teachings or rituals we prefer. We listen to the constraints that God places on us. If they are hard, well, then, we surrender to God’s will, asking for grace to do it, like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. We’ll find, in time, that some of these constraints actually aren’t constraints at all, but enhancers to our freedom. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Back to the parish garden metaphor, one of those burdens or parameters is having flowers that won’t produce a measurable “fruit” at the end of the season. Your “garden plot” of life can’t just be all vegetables and the vegetables you want. You need variety. And you need flowers.

What are “flowers” in your life? Something beautiful, enjoyable, and, at first blush, impractical. I think of “right brain” things; things that are creative and artistic, like music or poetry or fiction or nature. I think of certain people; particular friends and family members who are fun, loving, challenging (in a good way). If we’re all-business and all-practical all the time, we’ll exhaust the garden plots of our life.

This lesson needs to be applied to Catholics who are serious in their faith. The trap with certain Catholics as they become more involved and intentional is that the faith becomes too efficient or goal-oriented and, ultimately, heavy. It’s Mass, rosary, adoration, confession, reading theology, studying the Bible, small faith groups, associating only with people who talk about religion, etc. Not that those things are bad. But they need to be complemented with “flowers”: maybe a walk or hike in nature, time with a fun and kind person who might not be “fully evangelized,” watching a good movie. These things, while not explicitly religious, will actually make you more religious in the long run.

Come, Holy Spirit. Shine down upon us. Make the garden plots of our souls diverse, fruitful, and beautiful. We trust in you and love you.

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Happy Memorial Day. Blessings upon all those who serve and have served our country. We are grateful for your sacrifices. And may those who have died in service to our country rest in peace. Tomorrow, Monday, May 25th there will be no 6:25am Mass. We will have just the 8:30am Mass that day.

Congratulations to all graduates–grade school, high school, and college. Our SPC School 8th graders will be celebrating this week their Memory Day (Tuesday) and Graduation (Wednesday). The last day of school for our parish will be Friday, June 5.

As we conclude the Easter season with Pentecost this weekend, I just want to once again give a word of congratulations, affirmation, and welcome to all the newest Catholics who entered the Church at the Easter Vigil last month, particularly those from our parish: Gabrielle Anne Rosas, Kirk Behrens, Julian Andres Robles, Joshua Campos, Howard Robert Leach, Anthony Kuzmanic, Joseph O’Brien, Heidi O’Brien, Nicholas Marella, Eve Remien, Rose Kosatka, and James Wolfe. May you continue to grow and experience the love of God in your lives.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. James Wallace