Thursday in the Second Week of Lent
Gregory of Nyssa
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me;
then I shall be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
Psalm 19:13
When my friend gifted me with the small plant, all neat in its container with moss and tiny rocks covering the surface of the dirt, I was thrilled. “I love bonsai!” I exclaimed, noticing two tiny new leaves on one branch.
I did not know if it was really a true bonsai, but I savored the idea of it and hoped I could keep it alive. I watered it gently, and for weeks I kept my eyes on those two budding leaves. Until I realized it had been weeks. The plant remained as it was. Perfect in its artificial glory. I swear even to this day the leaves feel real.
Sinfulness can begin like this. Holding on to presumed truths. Savoring an idea past the point of, well, the point of it. Neglecting to discern true life.
And addressing sin often begins with reassessment; what is the truth, the heart of the matter.
Having reevaluated my not-at-all-a-true-bonsai I enjoy it for what it is. A gift. A bit of brightness in my workspace. An invitation to contemplation.
