scandals and errors infecting the poor Bride of Christ. Not that the faith should't imbue everything we do, but some things testify to the simple art of living in joy. You get up in the morning, say your morning prayers, offer the entire day to God, and think of Him frequently during the day blessing Him for everything. It's a good practice to spiritualize all the events of the day, especially the simple things.
When my children were growing up, I prayed for my husband and each child's clothing as I folded the laundry. That kept me thinking about them and presenting them to God as I completed a necessary and sometimes tiresome chore. The same with cooking meals. I think about who will eat this food that God has so generously provided. "Bless us, O Lord and these Thy gifts."
Larry is on retreat this week so one of my sisters came to keep me company. We've had lots of fun working, playing games, and praying together. On Tuesday we spent a warm afternoon harvesting eighteen frames of honey from two of our five beehives. The most ornery bees are the best workers! They are definitely not lukewarm!
Keeping bees testifies to the glory of God and the order and Providence of His care. Scripture is filled with references to bees. Even AI gives witness:
Judges 14:8 Samson finds a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of a lion. Exodus 3:8 Describes a land flowing with milk and honey, symbolizing abundance for the Israelites. Exodus 3:17 God promises to bring the Israelites to a land flowing with milk and honey. Psalm 19:10 Compares the sweetness of God's words to honey and the honeycomb. Proverbs 27:7 States that a person who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry, even bitter tastes sweet. 1 Samuel 14:27 Jonathan tastes honey and his eyes brighten, illustrating the refreshing quality of honey. Song of Solomon 4:11 Describes the bride's lips dripping honey, emphasizing sweetness and beauty.
Many of the saints refer to bees, especially St. Francis de Sales. I often find bees buzzing in my spiritual reading. On Tuesday, the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, I read this in the Benedictus Daily Meditation:
"It is one thing," says St. Bonaventure, "to know that honey is sweet and another to realize its sweetness by the taste." We know by faith that God is wonderfully good, but it is only after we have been illuminated by the light of wisdom that we are able to discern her exceeding goodness. The heart is then filled to overflowing, and the soul tastes how sweet God is.
Whenever I take a spoonful of my bees' honey I will think of the gift of wisdom and beg God to fill me with it. "Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord!"
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