BLESSINGS IN BLOOM: Come Holy Spirit to the Garden

By Kerry Peetz

The month of May is a beautiful blessing in Colorado, often marking the transition from spring to summer. Gardeners are busily working the soil and excited for a fresh, new season. Garden tasks during this time can be both productive and spiritually enriching. Here are a few garden tasks for May that were inspired by the Holy Spirit:

1. Preparation and Planting

Soil Preparation: Test and amend your soil to ensure it is nutrient-rich and healthy. Reflect on the parable of the Sower (Matt 13:1-23) and think about how your garden, like good soil, can yield a fruitful harvest.

Planting: This is an ideal time to plant summer vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and squash. Before placing them in the ground, say a prayer for the seeds and plants, asking for God’s blessing for growth and a bountiful harvest.

2. Weeding and Maintenance

Weeding: Regularly removing weeds helps your plants thrive. When weeds aren’t present the desired plants don’t have to compete for water. Consider this as a metaphor for removing negative influences from your life (Heb 12:1). Why not use weeding time to pray for strength and clarity to overcome challenges.

Mulching: Adding mulch helps retain moisture and aids in suppressing weeds. Think of this as a protective layer over your heart and soul that helps you stay grounded in faith.

3. Watering and Irrigation

Ensure your garden is properly watered as temperatures warm up. Often, we over-water our lawns. Be sure to follow the watering requirements for your specific variety of grass. Xeric and native plants need water their first year (to establish a healthy root system) but after the first season they should thrive on what water the rain provides. Reflect on John 7:37-38, where Jesus talks about living water. Think about our sacred holy water. We should never take it for granted. Imagine if we were second in line to the font before Mass and the person in front of us started scooping it out and purposely splashing it to the floor!

4. Fertilizing

As you enrich your soil, meditate on the ways God enriches your life and nourishes your soul. Consider using organic fertilizers and remember to express gratitude for the resources God provides.

5. Encouraging Wildlife

Set up birdhouses or pollinator habitats to invite pollinators and birds into your garden. Reflect on God’s creation and the importance of all living beings, as expressed in Genesis 1:28-31, where we are all called to steward the earth.  

6. Community Involvement

Organize a planting day with your family and friends or volunteer at church. Use this time not only for gardening but also for fellowship, sharing prayers, and discussing how God’s creation connects us all. Consider growing extra vegetables to donate to the less fortunate, local food banks or church pantries, fulfilling our call to help those in need (Matt 25:35-40).

7. Reflecting on and Worshipping God

Spend time appreciating God’s handiwork in your garden. Consider a quiet moment of prayer outdoors, allowing the beauty of creation to inspire gratitude and reflection (Ps 104:24-25).

By inviting the Holy Spirit to cultivate your garden tasks with prayer, reflection, and a sense of community, you can nourish both your garden and your spiritual life, making this May a season of growth in every aspect.

“For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Is 51:3).