Jesus ... was very earthy. He depended on earth stories, parables, to convey His message of the Kingdom of God. He observed seeds growing. He compared the Kingdom to the mustard plant in which birds nest and sing. He asked his followers to learn basic spiritual lessons from the plants. It is "by their fruits" that you will distinguish true spiritual people. He compared Himself to the vine and His disciples to its branches. They also must be the rich soil where God's seeds can grow. He liked animals, treated them with respect, observed them very closely, and learned from them. He used them as symbols for the reign of God on earth. "The birds of the air," the "sparrow falling from its nest," the fishes gathering, the one lost sheep, and all Jesus' parables that include animals reveal His great sensitivity toward them, as well as His conviction of the interdependence, the ecology we share with all living creatures. Indeed, He was born in a stable among accepting animals, and He died as the "slain lamb of God."

To practice Jesus today: Share with a friend, or write in your journal, some spiritual lesson you have learned from a plant or an animal. Find a ritual way to thank this living creature for its contribution to your journey.

Jean Maalouf in Jesus Laughed and Other Reflections on Being Human