He who imitates the disciples of the Lord does not refuse, out of fear for the Pharisees, to walk through the cornfields on the sabbath and pluck ears of corn. On the contrary, when after practicing the virtues he attains the state of dispassion, he culls the inner principles of created beings and devoutly nourishes himself with the divine knowledge they contain. (Saint Maximos the Confessor)

In making our sabbath journey, we are to partake of the abundance that God has given. In the traditions of many cultures, in the lives of every person, in the unfolding joys and sorrows of this day there is much to learn.

When I was young, around this time of year we would harvest sweet corn. The whole family - aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, great aunts, and second, third, and fourth cousins - would gather around the corn truck.

Each ear was stripped of its tight green cover, and combed of its blond strands, and washed in a tub of cold water. Some could not wait and ate it raw. But for those who would wait, the boiled corn was even sweeter.