"I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest against the sweet earth’s flowing breast. A tree that looks at God all day and lifts her leafy arms to pray. A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair. Upon whose bosom snow has lain who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree." We begin with this famous poem by Joyce Kilmer to remind us that the leaves of spring are everywhere, and summer is about to begin. Trees make leaves and God makes trees. God produces so much beauty and trees are only a small part of the majesty we call our planet earth we humans continue to degrade and despoil. God weeps at the destruction and impoverishment it causes. We mention God’s trees because today’s first reading from Ezekiel speaks of the majestic cedar – the high tree – and contrasts it with the lowly tree. There’s a role reversal in this prophet’s message to us.
