Dear Friends iri Christ,

Have you ever wondered exactly what St. Paul meant when he urged the Christians

in the early Church to be "rooted" in Christ (Colossians 2:7)? Why did Paul choose

this particular physical image from nature to make a spiritual point?

Without roots, a tree simply can t survive. Roots anchor the tree in the soil, pro-

viding stability and nourishment to the trunk, branches, leaves, and fruit. In fact, the

root system of a tree, primarily hidden underground, is often as extensive and broad

as the crown of the tree, and its longest roots may reach as deep into the earth as the

tree is tall. Some desert shrubs have roots that extend down into the earth more than

230 feet!

When we consider all the important functions of roots, it s clear that Paul s choice

of analogy was quite purposeful and appropriate--and it s one that we can easily apply

to our own spiritual lives.

Rooted in God s Word. One of the surest ways we can become firmly "rooted in Christ"

is to immerse ourselves in his word. Reading and prayerfully reflecting on Scripture

is a lifeline with the Lord, essential for our spiritual growth and survival. When we read

the Bible daily, we are putting our roots into life-giving soil and drinking from the liv-

ing waters. We are blessed and nourished, becoming like the tree described by the

psalmist: a tree "planted near streams of water,/that yields its fruit in season;/Its leaves

never wither" (Psalm 1:3).

Another task of the root system is to store food for later growth. In climates where

trees and plant life are threatened by drought, we can better realize the beauty of

Jeremiah s analogy of how one who trusts in the Lord is like a tree whose roots sustain

it in adverse conditions:

It fears not the heat when it comes,

its leaves stay green;

In the year of drought it shows no distress,

but still bears fruit. (Jeremiah 17:8)

Striking Roots in Christ. Abide in My Word2004 is especially designed to help you

strike your roots deeply in Christ. The format makes it easy to locate the daily Mass

readings, which are taken from the Leetionaryfor Mass and are in the New American