Daily Meditation for April 24, 2026

In appreciation of God’s gift of trees for the welfare and survival of the environment, this meditation is a spin-off of St. Francis’s Canticle of the Sun as we observe Arbor Day. Praise be my Lord for our friend the tree. Praise the Lord for its roots. For them, the tree is anchored in the soil, giving it the nourishment for health and stately growth. Praise be my Lord for the tree’s masterful trunk which channels water and nutrients to its branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Praise be my Lord for limbs and branches, extending the trunk’s work to reach the smaller spaces for leaves to form and grow. Praise be my Lord for leaves, essential parts for photosynthesis, chemically producing oxygen for the survival of all living creatures relying on this gas. Praise be my Lord for flowers and fruits. New life comes from these gifts, adding beauty and sustenance to other forms of life.

By Philip Zimmer, OSB