I just returned from vacation where I visited three national parks: Redwood and Lassen Volcanic Parks in north California and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.  The Redwood trees are the tallest trees on the planet and as you hike through groves of Redwoods or stand at the base of a tree, your eyes are continually pulled upwards.  The beauty of this park allows a visitor to witness this continual growth and striving towards the sky.  What is interesting to note about these trees that can reach around 350 ft in height though is that they actually have (in comparison to their height) a very shallow root system.  

The root system of a redwood tree is maybe around ten to thirteen feet deep.  This makes a redwood tree on its own very vulnerable to falling in high winds or heavy rains.  What keeps the trees secure in heavy storms though is how far the root system spreads horizontally (sixty to a hundred feet) and the fact that the root system of one tree intertwines with the roots of the other surrounding trees.  Through the intertwining of roots these gigantic trees actually support one another, and by doing so, they – together – withstand strong storms. 

Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, encourages us to “seek what is above, where Christ is seated…”.  The apostle wants us to strive upwards.  “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”  But the apostle also knows that in order to truly strive upwards we need to be attentive to our roots and make sure they are strong.  This is why he goes on to write, “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion and desire, and the greed that is idolatry.  Stop lying to one another…” 

It might seem paradoxical but Paul is inviting us to strengthen our “roots” – that which truly supports us – in order that we might authentically seek that which is above.  The earthly parts within us that Paul writes about: “immorality, impurity, passion, desire, greed, lying” lead to sins the end results of which are isolation.  These sins turn us in on ourselves and away from one another.  To go back to the analogy of the Redwood tree.  On our own, we are very vulnerable to being overcome by the storms of life but when our roots are strong and they intertwine with the roots of others then we find strength in the face of a storm.  Sins that isolate us, sins that turn us away from one another, sins that block true and authentic relationship must be put to death.  Only by doing so can we truly grow, only by doing so can we truly strive for that which is above.  We do not achieve the high reality of the Kingdom of God by ignoring our roots.  We achieve that which is above by strengthening our roots through connecting with one another authentically and honestly in faith and in true Christian community.  We have to let go of the sins that turn us in on ourselves. 

One of the greatest things that the Church gives our world today is “church”.  True and authentic Christian community grounds us, strengthens us and empowers us to strive for that which is above.  True Christian community is not groupthink nor is it merely another faction based on a particular worldly ideology or politic.  True Christian community is – to make use of an image our Lord gives us in today’s gospel – made up of limited persons with various viewpoints striving to be “rich in what matters to God”. 

We can learn a lesson from the Redwood tree.  Connected with one another, in Christ, we are made strong.  Put to death those sins that isolate in order to authentically live in relationship with others – by this we gain the momentum to withstand the storms of life and even to strive for that which is above.