Monastery Salsa!
Monastery Salsa!
“For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness.”
Wisdom 7:26
This Spring, two of the 'Sister gardeners', of our Monastery of Mary the Queen, Girard IL, planted red and yellow tomatoes with hard work, prayer, and tremendous hope. Their dedication truly paid off and the top of our Mt. ‘Kilimanjaro Garden’, (a large mound of hill in the far east of the property), was filled with life and vibrant colors. From this, the sisters reaped a bountiful harvest of love and tomatoes.
Overwhelmed by the fruitful harvest at one point, our faithful tricycle, loaded with crates of tomatoes, was a delightful sight around the monastery. These tomatoes were carefully picked, washed, and prepared for an exceptional purpose; making salsa! The kitchen was filled with the delightful aroma of simmering tomatoes and spices. It was a fun and fruitful project and the stunning display of home-made salsa is all from the tomatoes they worked so hard to grow.
Whether in our prayers, our tomatoes, or our salsa, every little thing we do here is filled with care and gratitude. A sister shared her story with the community. She said that it had been many years since she last canned tomatoes, but decided, nonetheless, to give it a try again. At first, she relied on her memory, only to realize that time had blurred the steps she once knew so well. Surprised at how much she had forgotten despite having done it so often in the past, she turned to a recipe for guidance. After much trial and error, she was so grateful that she successfully made five pints of canned tomatoes.
These projects aren’t just about food; it is about community. “You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.” (Psalm 128:2) We eat tomatoes in the morning, at noon, and at supper. It is just never too much for us. Our salsa too is served every day. Our juicy tomatoes are always well arranged like a vibrant bouquet of summer blooms, which makes it even more irresistible.
We are grateful for the celebration of our shared life, labor, and the gifts God has given us through the earth. We thank our 'Sister gardeners' for the entire process, from planting to harvesting to canning. With heartfelt joy, gratitude, and praise we look forward to sharing the fruits of this joyful work with those who visit our monastery!