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Eastern Orthodox
The Two Trees (Pt 2)

The Two Trees (Pt 2)

Last updated on: May 22, 2005 at 12:58 pm by Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

The Two Trees (Pt 2) 2005-05-22T12:58:00-05:00 Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

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These Meditations were posted last year when this Blog was a babe and readership small. After this go-round they’ll be retired so as to be recreated in another form. They’re intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.

Part One (1 – 5)

(6 of 33) …

Again in the Wilderness …

We were too smart for the Hill. The dream must have worn off. Now, in the Wilderness, we are tired and hungry. O soul, where art thou?

Depression sinks in. It is lonely and arid in the Wilderness. We know that in the Garden there is an abundance of fulfilling things. In the Garden is fame, fortune, and power. In the Garden is sensual pleasures, passionate pastures, and delights for the eyes.

O, to be in the Garden.

As we enter the Garden, we again see the beautiful and inviting creature on the Tree. He assures us that we will not become sick. “Come, eat!” In an instant our soul cries out, “No!” Our bodies deny the hearing. Our bodies KNOW better.

Better me, O Garden Tree. Better me, I beg thee …

(7 of 33) …

In the Wilderness …

The Wilderness is not where we want to be. Yet everyday finds us there with decisions to make.
We are in the Wilderness today with bruises. We were kicked out of the Garden. Did we kick ourselves out? Anyway, we didn’t want to leave. But our friends betrayed us.

There we were with all the powers one could ask for — and WHAM! Betrayal. We lost all, in the Garden.

He’s on the Tree. The Hill that looks like Hell. Bruised and empty, we’ve had it with the Garden. Our soul sighs, “Lord, forgive.”

We are there, beneath the Fruit of the Tree on the Hill. Feeling betrayed from the bountiful, beautiful fruit of the Garden, we decided to partake of this food. It looks bitter, dying … dead? Yet, behold, there is redemption thereon, for the fruits of this Tree are Humility, Patience, Chastity, Contentedness, Temperance, Liberality, and Diligence.

We look upon the Fruit, the man on the Tree. “May we stay here always, Lord?” With eyes of love he looks upon us and says, “I love you” … and dies.

“No!” we cry.

Immediately we are transported to the Garden.

(8 of 33) …

In the Garden …

In the Garden there is only life. The hill of death and doom seems to us now like a bad dream. We are thankful to be in the Garden. The beautiful and inviting creature tells us that the Tree in the Garden is known as the Tree of Life. After what we saw on the Hill, we believe him.

We then sink our teeth into a good-sized bit of sloth and decide to give the Hill no more thought. We lust for more, proud of our new found life. We eat, and eat, and eat. A glutton never had it so good. It is easy, nay necessary, to be greedy in the Garden. Our avarice knows no bounds — we envy all. “I want it all!” we shout in anger.

We are clothed as royalty.

The beautiful creature in nowhere to be found. Does this mean? Of course.

We are in charge!

(9 of 33) …

Again in the Garden …

Our soul alone in silence waits.

Something is not right. In the Garden, we think we have found Paradise. Yet why is our soul so unhappy? Can it not taste the fruit? Does it not feel the power? Is it not shining with the light of the Garden?

“No,” says the soul. For a moment, our brain — even our body — agrees. But we KNOW better.

“You have eaten of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,” says the soul. “This, says God, is forbidden.”

Yet, we are in the Garden. “In the Garden, nothing is forbidden.” The beautiful creature said so. And, besides, we KNOW that the Tree in the Garden is the Tree of Life. It must be. For the man on the Tree on the Hill has died. A tree that ushers in death cannot bring life. This much we know. Therefore, this Tree, in the Garden must be …

(10 of 33) …

In the Wilderness …

It seems that every day we awake in the Wilderness. Then we must choose to either spend our time in the Garden or on the Hill.

Decisions, decisions, decisions …

“I cannot do it alone.” It was just a thought. Or did it come from deeper within? Whatever it was, it landed us on the Hill! But, immediately upon our arrival, we found that we were surrounded by blood. Just before we cried “No!” … our souls fed on “faith, hope, love.”

At rest in the Garden, we put such things out of our minds as we bask ‘neath the Tree.

(11 of 33) …

In the Garden …

Knowledge.

Eating of the fruits of the Tree in the Garden, we find that we can’t get our fill. “More, more, more!” we passionately cry. Though we tire of anger, it seems to be a constant, consistent, emotion in our domain.

Lust, we find, leads to action. The deed being done, we lie alone wasted with grief and remorse. The cure for which we also seek upon the Tree in the Garden. For the beautiful creature claims to have a remedy for all our ills.

This day, as we shrink from the fruit of lust, we are offered an orb of pride. The beautiful creature tells us that this fruit is the chief remedy of all ailments. “Taste and see,” says he.

(12 of 33) …

On the Hill we sit …

How we got here, we’re not quite sure. Yet, we’re thankful. For some odd reason, it seems that we’ve been sitting here ‘neath the Tree on the Hill … staring off into space. And, oddly enough, this seems all right.

We remember that in the Garden we were clothed as royalty. Here, we sit in the shade of redemption — naked — with a cross. The man who led us here told us that we had to bear it if we were to find rest in him and his kingdom.

Funny, it seems that he met us in the Wilderness. We didn’t have to make the decision to either go into the Garden or to climb the Hill. Instead, we were met by a man who seemed to know us — and, we him. He lovingly said, “Come, follow me.” And now, here we are.

Where did he go?

Where is his kingdom?

Why did he call us?

+ + +

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