mea culpa and the 3 trees

Vonda’s Views
October 3, 2010

I must plead mea culpa, mea culpa, for not getting ALL of my facts straight for something I stated in last weeks column on Social Security. I was at a Diocesan meeting last week in Jackson, when dear Fr. Bob hugged me and then said, “I read your column and you are wrong.” “Huh? Me? Wrong? Never”, I started to say and then I remembered that some things had changed and I had not quite gathered all of my facts about retired priests. Thank you Fr. Bob, for setting me back on the path of the straight and narrow.

As I look in enjoyment at my maple tree as it is beginning to go through its Fall changes I am reminded of a story of three trees that wondered what their futures might hold and what would become of them.

The first tree said: “When I grow stronger I’d really like to be made into a cradle, and be a place of warmth and safety and protection to newborn babes. I would like my legacy to be that I fully supported life.”
The second tree spoke up: “ It is my hope when I am a large tree that I can become an ocean going ship, carrying hundreds of people from one shore to another and delivering food to those in need.”
The third tree spoke up and said: “Both of you impress me much but my dream, to be perfectly honest, is I don’t want to be made into anything. I just want to be what I am today; a tree for shade. I simply want to point my leaves and limbs upward and remind others that there is a God in Heaven who loves all people in the world.”

Years later, woodcutters came into the forest and looked at the first tree. The first
woodcutter looked at the tree and said: “Before we cut down this tree what shall we make of it?” The other replied: “Let’s make it into a manger.” The first tree protested: “Wait a minute, wait just a minute! I want to be made into a cradle.” Despite the first
tree’s protest, it was cut down and made into a manger and sold to an Innkeeper in Bethlehem. When the Savior of the world was born, He was placed in that very manger. The tree became the cradle of life, which the entire world would remember.

Some years later, the woodcutters came back among the trees and looked at the second tree. The first woodcutter said: “Any ideas what we should do with this tree?” The second woodcutter said: “Let’s cut it down and make it into a small fishing boat.” The second tree protested; “Wait a minute, Wait just a minute! I want to become an ocean going ship helping those in need. I don’t want to be a small fishing boat!” Despite the second tree’s
protest it was cut down and made into a small fishing boat. Later, a man by the name of Simon Peter bought the boat. When Jesus needed a pulpit, so He could address the
crowd on the seashore, the little fishing boat became his pulpit. From that little boat came the good news of God’s love that was meant to carry people from the shore of life to the shore of hereafter; a small fishing boat carrying more good news than any ocean liner could carry goods.

Three years later, the woodcutters came back to the grove once again. The woodcutters looked at the third tree and said: “The Romans are paying good money for crosses these days. Let’s make this tree into a cross.” The tree was horrified. It protested: “Wait a minute, wait just a minute - - I simply want to remain a tree. I want to lift my leaves and my limbs upward and remind others that there is a God in Heaven – a God who loves the world.” Despite the protests of the third tree it was cut down, made into a cross, and it was on that cross, that the Savior of the world was crucified. To this day, that tree points to Heaven as a reminder of how deep is God’s love.

The tale of the three trees points to God’s call; how He calls us, when He calls us and where He calls us may not be in the ways that we have imagined.
God calls. We respond. It’s that simple.