What gardening teaches us about the deeper meaning of Holy Week
Holy Week has always felt different — the streets are quiet, the air is still, and time seems to slow down. Whether you observe it with processions, family traditions, or quiet prayer, Holy Week invites us to pause, reflect, and renew. As a gardener, I’ve realized that so much of what we do in the garden mirrors the story of Easter.
Let me share a little story from my garden and heart.
🌱 The Seed That Took Its Time
More than a decade ago, I was a newbie gardener excited to grow my own tomatoes. I planted a few seeds in repurposed pots, and like all newbies, I was already looking forward to my bountiful harvest. I watered them, waited, and watched… but nothing happened. After a week, still no sign of life. I thought maybe the seeds were bad or that I’d done something wrong. I almost gave up on them.
But then, nearly two weeks later — just when I’d stopped checking every day — I saw a tiny green sprout pushing its way through the soil. It was small, almost shy, but unmistakably alive. Two months after, that little tomato plant went on to bear fruit for weeks, feeding my family and inspiring countless salads, omelets, and garden visitors.
That seed taught me something deeply spiritual: sometimes, growth happens in silence and darkness — but it’s still happening.
🌿 Holy Week and the Garden of the Soul
Holy Week is like that. From Palm Sunday’s joy to Good Friday’s sorrow to the silence of Black Saturday — it can feel like a rollercoaster of emotions. But in the quiet, in the waiting, God is working. Just like a seed under the soil, unseen but preparing to break through.
And then comes Easter Sunday — the ultimate “new growth” moment. The Resurrection is the most beautiful symbol of hope after the darkest days. In the garden, we see this every time something blooms after looking dead. That’s grace. That’s life after loss. That’s faith.
🌸 What We Sow, We Grow
As plantitas and plantitos, we understand the law of the garden: we reap what we sow. Holy Week is a good time to ask ourselves:
-
What seeds have I been planting in my life?
-
Am I sowing kindness, patience, and love — or impatience, comparison, and bitterness?
-
What weeds (resentment, fear, guilt) need to be pulled out?
Gardening reminds us that we can’t rush growth. It takes time, care, pruning, and yes — sometimes a little dying inside you. But oh, the harvest is worth it.
🌼 Simple Ways to Reflect and Grow This Holy Week:
-
Plant something symbolic. Start a seed on Holy Thursday, watch it grow through Easter.
-
Prune your plants (and your heart). Remove what no longer serves growth.
-
Sit in your garden in silence. Let nature preach.
-
Start a gratitude list like watering your soul. One thankful thought a day.
💚 A Garden of Grace
This Holy Week, I invite you to slow down– your mind clear, your heart open, and your soul still. Whether through planting, praying, or simply sitting under a tree — may you feel the quiet growth miracle happening inside you now.
Like the tomato seed that I nearly gave up on, you are growing, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Even in the waiting. Even in the silence.
Because the garden — like faith — teaches us that Resurrection is always beneath the surface.
Wishing you a meaningful, restful, and grace-filled Holy Week ahead,
🌱 Urban Gardening Mom
