Daily Thought For February 22, 2021

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 Replanting

Repotting a plant is a stressful but essential step in keeping it strong and healthy. You might have a small plant that seems happy but is bursting out of its pot. So you replant it into a larger pot so that the roots have room to grow. For a week or two, however, the poor plant doesn’t look so good. It might wilt or look sickly in its new home. But after a little while, it takes off again. Roots begin spreading again. Stems shoot up. Leaves sprout and produce abundant flowers.

This is similar to what happens to Simon Peter in today’s Gospel reading. Peter had grown to the point of acknowledging that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. So Jesus could see he was ready to be replanted into a new environment. By giving him a new name and placing him in a new role, Jesus gave him the chance to grow even more. Peter was very likely shocked by this transition. It wasn’t an easy shift, but it was worth it. Just think about all that Peter was able to accomplish once his roots in Christ were fully established.

Today’s feast of the Chair of Peter celebrates his role as head of the Church. And it’s a great chance for you to reflect on how you are doing. Perhaps, like Peter, you are starting to burst from the confines of your little pot. Maybe you faltered when God moved you into a new responsibility. Yet looking back, you can see how God’s grace helped you grow and bear fruit.

Replanting might feel stressful at the time, but it’s an effective way to foster growth and fruitfulness—in plants and in people. Each time God replants you, he does it to help you grow and thrive. You might have faced the challenge of a new role in your family or a new season of life. Either way, you can trust him and embrace each new situation because you know he is taking care of you. As a careful gardener does for a plant, God will provide what you need to grow to your fullest potential.

from The Word Among Us - February 22, 2018 (www.wau.org)

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