Let’s be farmers

By Tim Lilley

Father Tyler Tenbarge inspired this column.

A few weeks ago, he served as homilist for a special Mass for farmers at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Daylight. At that time, our entire region was thoroughly waterlogged. It’s getting better as I type this, but our farm families are still feeling the impact of flooded fields on their abilities to plant, grow and harvest the crops that are their livelihoods.

During his homily, Father Tyler said, “All of us were given a creation to bring to fulfillment….” He added that farmers realize this better than anyone. In that moment, I realized his message was worth sharing.

That message prompted the headline above – “let’s be farmers.”

Our farming families work the land. They repair machinery as necessary. They till, plant, and hope and pray for the right amounts of rain at the right times. They harvest their crops to feed the world and provide for their families.

Their annual cycle involves taking the creation God has given them and bringing it to fulfillment.

What is your creation?

You have one. God blesses all of us with gifts. Like farmers, we must bring them to fulfillment. Some people teach. Others work with their hands, like farmers, but in different industries. Photographers are blessed with an intuitive vision that enables them to capture moments in time. Musicians are blessed with the ability to create songs … writers with the ability to paint pictures with words.

What is your creation? How has God blessed you? What do you need to bring to fulfillment, and how are you working toward that end?

Make no mistake – you will encounter obstacles along the way, just like our farming families have encountered fields that remained flooded and inaccessible for far too long this year. Troublesome times await us. Undoubtedly, you already have experienced trepidation. You likely will experience more because life’s “speed bumps” come and go.

God’s love, however, remains constant. Jesus affirmed it in John 14 when he said to the disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

No matter what you face as you seek to bring your creation to fulfillment, remember that last sentence.