Summer Sunflowers & Salesian Spirituality

Jul 28

This weekend, the month of August begins. Over the years, various authors have described the last few weeks of summer as slow and gentle, a time when the calendar itself takes a vacation. Christian author Carol McLeod, in her book Vibrant: Developing a Deep & Abiding Joy for All Seasons, has a beautiful description of the eight-month of the year:

“August is a miraculous and marvelous month. It teeters between summer and fall with the longest and loveliest days of the year. It is the month of wildflowers in glorious bloom, sunsets vibrant in the sleepy dusk, and vegetable gardens abundant beyond measure. August sings in chrysanthemums, boasts in bachelor buttons, and shouts with sunflowers bending in the afternoon sunshine.

During this final phase of summer, nature begins a seasonal shift from green to gold and the gardens and flowers are crowned with the sunflower. August is peak season for sunflowers. Each year, many people look forward to seeing the beautiful flowers scattered along roads, in fields, in front yards or displayed in homes. For many, these towering stems with bright yellow petals represent the sun, the warmth, and the beauty of summertime. They reach their vibrant full bloom during the next few weeks, and they serve as a reminder for all of us to stand tall, stay strong, and turn to the light in hard times.

Because of these traits, St. Francis de Sales saw the sunflower as a symbol of faith. He reminded his parishioners and readers that just as the sunflower tracks the sun across the sky, so we must focus on God’s presence and grace as we journey through this world. The soul looks to the divine light as we navigate the difficulties of daily life and seek the inner calm that only God can bring.

In his famous prayer for peace, St. Francis tells us the God “will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.”

As he wrote these words, I wonder if Francis was looking out his window on an August afternoon in Annecy, France. Did the nature that surrounded the Savoy region remind him that God will protect us and strengthen us as the sun gives strength to the flowers that flourished along the Alps?

Let’s look at the weeks of August as a reminder to turn toward the Lord. In the garden of God’s grace, may we all be like the sunflower, blooming and flourishing in God’s light and life.