Sunflowers

Not long ago, I remember seeing a field covered with sunflowers. I don’t remember where I saw that field, but I remember it was breathtakingly beautiful. I could hear the wind's echo as it blew over the beautiful sunflowers. I could hear them singing to me with lyrics of impeccable beauty that only I could hear. I am sure you would have heard it if you were there with me or on your own.

I also remember when I saw the field and the hundreds and hundreds of sunflowers, I was reminded of Jesus words in the gospel of Matthew 6:

“And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.  I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.”  

Sunflowers, by their nature, turn towards the sun. Even before the sun rises from the east, the sunflower turns its face in that direction. It feels like the sun wakes them up; they come alive when it's up, and every day they wait and trust that the sun will show up.

Whichever direction the sun is located - whether east, west, north, or south - sunflowers turn towards the sun. Sunflowers grow in sunlight and thrive in it. But whenever the sun disappears, sunflowers turn towards each other. It seems to me, then, that there is never a time when the sunflower is not either receiving or giving. It appears to me that there is never a time when the sunflower doesn’t feel rejuvenated enough to turn towards the other.

A few days ago, a parishioner who had lived in San Diego shared with me a joint statement by Bishop Budde and Rabbi Shankman regarding the violent attack on the Islamic Center in San Diego. Three beautiful lives were cut short by fellow citizens who could only look inwards. I am not sure what their motive is, but I agree with Bishop Budde and Rabbi Shankman that an attack on one community’s sanctuary wounds every one of us.

It is sad that it is only when tragic events like this occur that, like the sunflower, we turn to each other and seek to renew our shared gift of sunlight.

This coming weekend, we will celebrate Memorial Day. We will remember those who have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. There’s no greater love than the one who lays down their life for their friends, to paraphrase Jesus. We will celebrate the memories of those who served and give thanks for their service to this beautiful country.

In a way, this country is like a sunflower - beautiful, graceful, compassionate, loving, and kind -because like the sunflower, it follows the sun. The admirable traits I have listed not only build people but also build a country. Despite being a Sunflower, there are moments when our destructive tendencies turn us inward.

To me, our service men and women are like sunflowers; when the sun sets, and darkness arises, they don’t turn inward - they turn towards one another.

I sometimes ask myself, "What is there to celebrate about a country without people?" and then I say to myself, “A country is always worth celebrating and worth dying for because of its people."

It is not because the people are perfect, but precisely because they are imperfect that those people are worth dying for. Jesus sets the same example by dying for sinners like you and me. St. Paul reaffirms that same teaching when he tells the Romans,

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

There is no doubt that our imperfection often moves us to turn, not to each other but inward. There are also instances where turning to each other breeds a kind of cynicism that limits our ability to trust and give, while increasing our desire to harm ourselves and others. I believe that to turn inward is to miss the mark of discipleship and the glory of being a sunflower.

For turning inward, John Donne leads us with a plea for divine mercy and grace with his poem,  A Hymn to God the Father:

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,

         Which was my sin, though it were done before?

Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,

         And do run still, though still I do deplore?

               When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

                        For I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have w0on

         Others to sin, and made my sin their door?

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun

         A year or two, but wallow'd in, a score?

               When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

                        For I have more.

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun

         My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;

But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son

         Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;

               And, having done that, thou hast done;

                        I fear no more.

The sunflower turns wherever the sun is because the sun not only provides light, but it also rejuvenates the sunflower. An ancient Hindi proverb once said, “When you water the root of a tree, every part of the tree is happy.” The gift of the sun is like watering the root of a tree, and that makes each part of the Sunflower happy because that act of watering is life-giving.

Someone once wrote that in a sense, we are all like the sunflower. The risen and ascended Christ is our Sun. The Sun, as the Son, shines on us and invites us to keep our focus on him because he is the God of our help and salvation. For this reason, we turn, again and again, to face the Sun.

Like the sunflower, so long as we continue to face the Sun (Son) and follow the Sun (Son), we will be alright.

Here are the lyrics of the Sunflower song that a friend shared with me:

Like A Sunflower That Follows Every Movement Of The Sun,

So I Turn Towards You To Follow You, My Lord.

Like A Sunflower That Follows Every Movement Of The Sun,

So I Turn Towards You To Follow You, My God.

In Simplicity, Charity, I Follow

Like A Sunflower That Follows Every Movement Of The Sun,

So I Turn Towards You To Follow You, My God.

In Simplicity, Honesty, I Follow

Like A Sunflower That Follows Every Movement Of The Sun,

So I Turn Towards You To Follow You, My God.

In Simplicity, Deity, I Follow

Like A Sunflower That Follows Every Movement Of The Sun,

So I Turn Towards You To Follow You, My God.

Like the sunflower, may it be our privilege to turn and follow the Sun (Son) wherever he shows up-that is how we are sustained. Shine with the radiance of God’s beauty - that is the only way we can glorify God, and to simply be a Sunflower which turns towards the other with simplicity and love. 

Blessed Pentecost,

Manny+

(You can listen to the music by clicking on Like A Sunflower Song Lyrics)