Since 1980 I have been living here on the land of the Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Guelph, where as it happens this year we Jesuit are celebrating the 100th anniversary of coming to this property.  Over my 33 yrs here the many wonderful trees have befriended me in a way that is totally surprising to me. It was a tree that took the initiative in one of the early years during the month of May while I was making my annual 8 day retreat out at the Old Orchard Hermitage. 

During that particular retreat I felt invited to read and pray with the book of nature rather than with the Scriptures.  Sometime during those deeply nourishing days I was on a trail not far from the hermitage admiring a magnificent old maple tree.  I felt the tree drawing me to itself and suddenly I was taken up into its strong arms and in a few minutes I was up as far as a person could possibly climb delighting in the view of our 600 acre farm and many kilometers beyond.

Over the years this maple and I have become very close friends.  Almost yearly, until I had to undergo surgery to replace a worn-out hip, I continued to be drawn to my maple perch high above the earth.  Since then it has only happened a couple of times, and now I watch helplessly as my friend is rapidly manifesting signs of its own aging process. This particular tree is the strong silent type, while others have been more articulate. 

For a number of years early in October at the beginning of the Forty Day Institute I have been giving a talk on God Creating.  The first time I was to give this talk it seemed important to spend time being out on the land as the final last minute preparation for my presentation.  As I stood amidst some familiar trees it seemed appropriate to listen for a message for the program participants, and to my great surprise there was a clear response; “Tell them we love them”.  Thus it became my habit to visit some of our trees each year just before I was to give this talk, and so far I have not been disappointed.

On one occasion I could hear the leaves and the wind whispering to each other and see the branches gently swaying to the wind’s rhythms.  I seemed to hear the message; “Tell them to listen and let the Spirit move them”.  The following year as it was raining softly I heard; “Just be there and let God’s grace, God’s love like this rain pour over you and soak into your souls”.  Another time I heard; “be still, rooted in the earth of God’s love and be aware of God delighting in you”. 

More recently, the moment I step out of our office door a great silver maple proclaimed; “Celebrate!” which is something it continues to do just for me each day as I approach the office door.  As these yearly talks continued I was beginning to wonder if I was being presumptuous in always expecting a clear message; however I was assured and deeply consoled by a warm, personal greeting; “Hi Bill”.

Now people may be thinking this is all in my imagination.  To this I can only respond that St. Ignatius strongly encourages the use of imagination in prayer. Furthermore, when Joan of Arc was on trial her accusers were saying; “All these messages that you claim to be hearing from God are only in your imagination”.  Without hesitation Saint Joan replied; “Of course they are in my imagination; how else could God speak to me.” So yes these messages through God’s precious creatures are all in my imagination; how else could they speak to me.

In Letter 101 to Henri Murdoch, abbé de Vanclair, St. Bernard of Clairvaux writes;  “We learn more in the woods than in books.  The trees and the rocks will teach you more things than you could hear from anywhere else”.  I am gradually discovering just how true this really is.