Table Talk - Faith, Earth, Poetry

Dear Golden Bears, Parents, and Friends,

April is a month for much rejoicing. The Easter season has arrived. The earth is springing back into life. It’s National Poetry Month. Faith, earth, and poetry—these share more in common than simply occurring in April.

While most religions have specific pronouns for describing God—Yahweh, Father-Son-Holy Spirit, Allah, Brahma, etc.—almost every faith tradition believes that God is the Creator of the natural world. I find it helpful to think of God as being the Poet of the universe. Creation is God’s ongoing poem. Each and every part of creation is a different stanza, line, word, or rhyme in that poem.

Made in God’s image, the poem reflects the Poet. From the galaxies on the furthest stretches of outer space, to each tiny blade of grass beneath our feet, as parts of God’s poem each part of creation contains beauty, goodness, and truth.

In chapel, I shared a story about two maples trees that stood in my backyard during my childhood. Throughout my boyhood, I developed a close relationship with the trees. This relationship was so unique that you could think of it as a deep friendship. The maple trees were the perfect listeners who taught me that God’s first language is silence. They were a sacred place I could always go to feel the presence of God. I played in the colorful leaves they shed each fall. I admired the glassy beauty of their frozen limbs each winter. I relaxed beneath them on the shady grass and watched them bloom each the spring. I imagined myself playing with angels of light as I climbed their branches each summer.

My friendship with those two maple trees taught me how to befriend other parts of God’s creation. In time, I would come to count the following among my best of friends: the purple sunset, the quiet pond in back of my house, the falling snow, and a cliff in the East Rock Park of New Haven that I often rested at during my afternoon run.

I’m aware that it may sound odd to form friendships with parts of the earth; but I suspect that most individuals who have spent a healthy amount of time outside also have friendships with specific places and parts of God’s poem. I’d love to hear the stories of trees, mountainsides, beaches, flowers, or any part of earth that has helped reveal the beauty, goodness, and truth of God.

This April, I pray you set aside the time to go outdoors, pause, and, breathing deeply, quietly give thanks for the beautiful, fragile poem we call earth.

With Love and Prayers,

Chaplain Timothy

Let us pray: 

Creator of all life, Poet of the universe, 

we give you thanks for the sacred earth; 

for the stars and galaxies that shine in outer space; 

for the deep oceans and aquatic life. 

May we love the earth and help her to grow. 

May we love the waters and protect their purity. 

May we love the skies and heavens and honor their infinity. 

Through your many names we pray. 

Amen.