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The Two Trees (Pt 1)

The Two Trees (Pt 1)

Last updated on: May 21, 2005 at 6:55 am by Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

The Two Trees (Pt 1) 2005-05-21T06:55:00-05:00 Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

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I posted the following Meditations last year when this Blog was a babe and readership small. After this second go-round I’ll probably remove them so as to recreate them in another form. They’re intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.

(1 of 33) …

Let us travel into the Wilderness …

Ahead, through the blinding haze, nothing appears. All is naught, all is night.

To our left is a garden, an oasis of calm tranquility. It is a beautiful garden. In the middle of the garden stands a tree. A most beautiful tree — tall and strong with abundant fruit.

Ahead is the Wilderness. To our left, the Garden.

When we look opposite the Garden, to the right of the Wilderness, we see a hill, a dark vision of gloom and death. It is ugly and skull shaped. On the top stands a tree. A most terrifying tree. Bloody, cross shaped.

Our eyes cannot continue to look upon the hill. For a moment, we again look straight ahead into nothing. Then we find our eyes, slowly at first — then in a flash — returning to the beautiful garden. It looks like heaven. For this vision, we are thankful. For the Hill looks like Hell.

(2 of 33) …

Again in the Wilderness …

Our mouths are dry, our bellies empty. What shall we do to quench our thirst? To quell our appetites? To refresh our souls?

We stare into the abundant garden. Our eyes receive a feast, our mouths and bellies cry out, “Yes!” And our soul must follow as our feet move toward the Garden. We are hesitant. Yet, remembering the vision of the Hill, our pace is quickened.

The Garden, though seemingly far away, is under our feet in an instant. (Did we move toward it, or it toward us?) A stirring in our soul says, “No.” Yet, with eager hands and greedy passion, we pluck from the Tree in the Garden. Our bodies are awakened. O fruit of passion …

(3 of 33) …

Again in the Garden …

The fruit that looked so wonderful, so inviting, eventually turned bitter in our bellies. It appealed to our eyes, tongues, and senses. And although our souls said “No,” we listened instead to our bodies. Now, with bellies full, we are still not satisfied.

For once, we understand our soul’s definition of the fruits of the Garden’s tree: Pride, Anger, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Avarice, and Sloth … “Pale Gas.” To us, however, it is familiar fruit. The source of our nourishment. It all seems very natural.

Even silencing our soul seems familiar … natural.

(4 of 33) …

Again in the Garden …

From where we sit in the Garden we see, off in the distance, the Hill, the Tree, and what appears to be a dying man hanging there. In the Garden, there is light. Yet, as far as we can see, the Hill looks dark and foreboding.

Again, we listen to our soul which seems to long for the Hill. We begin to make our way out of the Garden — toward the Wilderness — only to realize that the headway that we make seems to take forever. It seems that we are not moving. Our bodies, our senses, our bellies and tongues begin to scream at us “You hunger! You thirst! Eat!.” We begin to question our motives, our movement … the Hill.

As we turn and look back toward the Tree in the Garden, we no longer see PALE GAS, but fruit — ripe and inviting. There is a lovely creature upon the Tree in the Garden beckoning us to “Come, eat.” We glance toward the Hill — a dying man upon a Tree covered in darkness. Our body begins to come alive, our soul withers. We turn back, back toward the Tree in the Garden.

(5 of 33) …

Again in the Garden …

Sick. Having eaten so much of the Fruit of the Tree in the Garden — Pride, Anger, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Avarice, and Sloth — we are sick. The Garden no longer seems so filled with light. We have once again discovered that the fruit which says “Come” speaks a lie.

If this is so, what of the Tree on the Hill?

It seems to be dark, Hell. What of it? Must we go and see?

The man hangs there. Is he dead? Why does he look upon us so?

There is pity and love in his stare. Before we have strength or ability to suppress it, our soul says “Yes!” — we hear — and suddenly, we are there, on the Hill, beneath the Tree.

Our eyes of Faith are opened and our spirit soars — for here on this Tree is the Fruit of Redemption, the First Fruit of God. God Incarnate.

The refreshment of our souls overshadows our bodily lusts and passions. We are at peace.

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