Let the Earth Bless the Lord

The city of Santa Rosa and the surrounding area is well known for its beautiful parks. There are about 70 parks within a short distance of the convent. When our Lord provides good weather, the sisters sometimes have a chance to stretch their legs and enjoy the marvelous work of the Creator. ​

A hike is a wonderful opportunity for many reasons; it is an exercise for both the body and the soul! When surrounded by God's creation, one cannot help but notice the fine detail of His work: the difference between leaves, the complementary colors of trees arching over a waterfall, the serene, yet simple sound of a babbling brook, the wide range of wildlife meandering about, and above all - the stillness and pure silence. Every element of creation - from the sky-scraping redwood tree to the tiny bug crawling on the forest ground - point to and speak of God's majesty and magnificence. ​

Most likely this is one of the many reasons the Church instructs its children in the Divine Office to pray often the Canticle of Daniel (Daniel 3:57-88,56) - where we are reminded that all things are to give praise to the Lord: star, sea, heaven, fire, cold, light and darkness. "Let the earth bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever."

The religious, too, encounters her Divine Bridegroom among His creation.

"Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." Genesis 1: 29-31

All this He has given to her in love. And as she enjoys it with Him, through her consecrated life, she gives this enjoyment of His creation back to Him as an act of worship. But creation was not enough for Him Who is Infinite Love. No - He desires to give His Spouse much more: His whole being - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity through the Most Holy Eucharist. As the religious adores Him in her body and soul through Holy Communion, she then - like Our Lady - goes about life enjoying all she has been given in union Him. Together, Bride and Groom gaze upon the created world and the souls God has placed within it. 

Hiking Slideshow