»God not only loves to hear our stories, he loves to tell his own. And, quite simply, we are the story God tells. Our very lives are the words that come from his mouth. This insight has always fired the religious imagination, refusing to be rationalized or dismissed. The conviction that we are God’s story releases primordial impulses and out of a mixture of belligerence, gratitude, and imitation we return the compliment. We tell stories of God.«  John Shea, Stories of God

For this reason we use this page to regularly offer new stories and reflections out of the world of literature, music and art.

Nächster Abschnitt

To Blossom from the Heart

 

Lent, our sacred spring, is progressing and the nature around us is increasingly becoming a wonderful reflection of what is about to unfold within us.  

Most of the flowers, which as if by magic make us forget the dark winter earth, grow from bulbs. Within every bulb lies everything the plant needs, everything that defines it, everything that makes it the unique flower it is. It is all there – within it. And now, in these days and weeks, the breakthrough is taking place. What was hidden becomes visible. What looked inconspicuous gradually unfolds in colour and beauty. Everything happens from within, from the heart of the bulb. It flows out of it, as it were, and cannot be stopped. The bulb does not labour away at a programme it has to fulfil, but simply lets it happen - this miracle of life and beauty.

And so it becomes what it has always been: a red tulip, a bright yellow daffodil, a purple crocus. And no snowdrop believes that, if it tries hard enough, it might perhaps become a hyacinth.

That is why I love the image of »holy spring«: it invites me to discover what lies hidden in my heart and to allow it to take up space, to give it time to grow, and to rejoice when it breaks through. Then that which is truly mine can blossom into beauty.

We grew up with the Lenten practices of self-denial, the Stations of the Cross, and strict duties. Much of this darkened our hearts like old winter leaves. We often felt pressure and felt inadequate. Yet this season of conversion serves to renew our relationship with God, with others and with ourselves. It serves life. It seeks to heal our hearts and make them flow, indeed overflow. Then the splendour of the early spring blossoms can become a symbol of our own unique beauty. It seeks to flow from our hearts, so that we may enter, as »whole« human beings, as those who are from God, into the great mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Then we can allow Easter to come to pass within us too. Life in abundance is laid up in our hearts.

Today I think of Joseph of Nazareth - a true »man with a heart«. His life blossomed wherever he was planted, as he allowed what welled up within him to flow freely. He was open to his dreams and brought to life what he had received. He was fully present. His work flowed from his heart. When I consider the little we know of him, I can say with wonder: it was good, and more than that, it was beautiful.    

God longs for our hearts. Taking this seriously leads to a holy spring within us.

The great companion and teacher Francis de Sales may, with his gentleness, help us to break through unto blossoming:

»If your heart wanders or suffers, gently bring it back to its rightful place and gently place it in the presence of your Lord. And even if you have done nothing in your whole life but bring your heart back and place it once more in the presence of our God, even though it ran away again every time after you had brought it back, then you have truly lived a full life.«

 

Rosemarie Monnerjahn

Vallendar, March 19th, 2026

To Blossom from the Heart