Planting seeds

I used to get frustrated at the lack of fruit produced from my spiritual endeavors. I would use the concept of planting seeds as a comfort and reassurance. I was simply called to plant the seeds that others would come along and cultivate and water and grow and harvest. It was somewhat of a comfort, but also an additional frustration since I figured that the planter isn't always around to see the finished product (pronounced fine-ished, like finished and final).

God granted me the grace to see the harvest shooting out of the ground. And while I used to think that sometimes planting the seeds was the hardest because you have to break the rocky ground where nothing has gone before, I've learned that maybe I had to plant the seeds because I didn't have it in me to make them grow as well as those who came after me. Case in point, the fruit of my labors: The Saint Peter Canisius Society.

I don't think I ever would have had the strength to see it through like the passionate and faithful ones who picked up the reins. I was on their website today--yes they have a website--and saw that their entire semester is planned out with brilliant topics and brilliant speakers. They are digging deep, hitting stuff like faithful citizenship and papal infallibility, stuff that wouldn't have made it within a five mile radius of campus five years ago. Not even a month into school, they've created (what I hope is the first of many annual) Roman Week, to collaborate with Catholics in every manner possible: fellowship, entertainment, prayer, discussion. Pray for the week's overwhelming success, that the fruits continue to multiply.

I am humbled by the wonders that have been wrought from what I'm selfishly claiming as my seeds. I think looking back that I gave pretty much all I had. God obviously knew this better than me and called on others to finish the job. Or finish the start. Because I pray it's not even close to over. I pray that another 5 years from now, I may contact Canisius Society and find an abundance of young Catholics evangelizing and growing in their faith. So that I can write them a big fat check to host more amazing events. And maybe even come and be a guest speaker. Until then, I'm content to watch them run the race. Because they are running to win.