A man owned a stand of sugar maple trees. It was a family business passed down from father to son and from brother to brother. The man, his family and his workers tended the forest year-round.
In the spring, they collected sap and boiled it to make and sell maple syrup and candies. They were careful not to over-tap the trees, lest they weaken and die. In the summer, they harvested the straightest trees for lumber to make furniture, firewood and other uses. Craftsmen made all sorts of maple products for sale.
Every fall, the leaves turned yellow, orange and red. People travelled for miles around to see the beautiful trees – large and small, young and old - and to buy syrup and souvenirs. In the winter, they sold the seasoned wood for fuel and to smoke food.
In good years there were many seeds and seedlings. It takes years for these seedlings to become tall trees. The workers kept the deer away from eating the seedlings; they removed the poorly formed, diseased and dead trees to make room for healthy growth.
All was kept in balance, and all was well.
What does this story mean? The owner is the Faithful Navigator, the workers are the assembly officers and chairs and the trees are the members. A healthy assembly uses everyone’s talents in a balanced manner. A member gives of himself – as a tree in charity gives its sap, its leaves and even its wood. Everyone can help, as even showing up at Mass with a nametag – a brightly colored leaf if you will – attracts potential members. We need new members to sustain the council, lest we “sap” our most active member’s strength. Do your part to sustain the forest.