Here is part of our Old Testament reading, from the prophet Hosea: ‘I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom as the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon’.

Gardens feature prominently in Sacred Scripture, from Eden through to the garden of the Resurrection. This is not surprising in a desert land, where water was scarce and had to be carefully saved.

In this passage, healing comes through repentance, and this healing is described as a verdant garden, where beauty flourishes. May this beauty grow in our own souls, as we walk the path of metanoia, or conversion, and may God bless you in this work for Him.