Thursday, March 27, 2014

THROUGH A LOOKING GLASS












FATHER

MOTHER

PARENT

PROGENITOR



JEALOUS GOD

WHO WILL NOT SHARE

 HIS CELESTIAL THRONE

WITH ANOTHER



WHO DOES NOT HONOR

RANK

WEALTH

POWER

BUT ONLY THE CONTENTS

OF ONE’S HEART



LIKE A PARENT

HE FINDS ALL HIS CHILDREN

EQUAL



MAY YOUR NAME BE KEPT HOLY

FROM PROFANE TRAFFIC



AND HYPOCRISY

FROM THOSE

WHO HAVE YOUR NAME ON THEIR LIPS

BUT NOT IN THEIR HEARTS



MAY WE APPROACH YOUR SECRET NAME

LIKE MOSES AND THE BUSH

WHERE YOU CALL YOURSELF

I AM



MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME

WE PRAY IT OFTEN

IF IT’S AN UNREACHABLE GOAL

WE SHOULD STOP DOING IT

WE DON’T NEED PIE IN THE SKY



BUT GOD HAS GIVEN US THE PRAYER

IT MUST BE TRUE AND ATTAINABLE

HE DOESN’T LIE


GIVE US TODAY

BREAD FOR TODAY



REMEMBERING

THAT WHEN ALL OUR NEEDS ARE MET

THE NEEDS OF THE POOR

SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED

AND ACTED ON



FORGIVE US OUR SINS

OF OMISSION

AND COMMISSION

IN RESPONSE TO YOUR GENEROSITY

MY WE FORGIVE

THOSE WHO HAVE HARMED US



DELIVER US FROM EVIL

CAUSED BY OUR PROPENSITY TO SIN

GIVE US GRACE

TO FIGHT OUR LOWER NATURE

WITHOUT IT WE CANNOT COPE



REMAND US AS A PARENT

LOVE US AS A FATHER

SCHOOL US IN THE RIGHT WAY TO LIVE



AMEN


SO BE IT…. AMEN

BEAUTY (Psalm 19)






FORGET IF YOU WILL
THE HAVOC CAUSED BY THE STORM
AND SEE A WORLD COATED IN CRYSTAL
TREES
SHRUBS
BUILDINGS
FENCES
ALL COATED IN CRYSTAL
AS THE WIND AND THE SUN COME UP
THE ICE MELTS AND DROPS
MAKING FAIRY SOUNDS AS IT LANDS

I WANT TO SAY
IT’S LIKE GRACE
 COVERING AN UGLY TREE

BUT I’M PUSHING THE SIMILE TOO FAR

I DON’T BELIEVE IN UGLY TREES
BUT WINTER TREES
THAT SHOW THE SCARS OF SURVIVAL

A THING OF BEAUTY
IS A JOY FOREVER
SO SINGS THE POET KEATS

BUT THERE ARE OTHER BEAUTIES
THE MESS OF BIRTH
AND PROCREATION

WRINKLES ON A OLD PERSON’S FACE

A FAMILY GATHERED AROUND A DEATH BED
AND THE DEATH

BUT AS FOR NOW
THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE WORKS OF NATURE
AND I SEE THE HAND OF GOD



Ordinary People








WE ARE ORDINARY PEOPLE


CAUGHT UP IN EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS


EVENTS FOR WHICH WE ARE ILL PREPARED


EVENTS WHICH OFTEN OVERWHELMED US


AND WE BEHAVE POORLY




BUT THIS IS WHERE GOD CHOOSES TO MEET HIS PEOPLE


THIS IS WHAT GIVES JESUS HIS UNIQUE STATURE


FOR BEING HUMAN


HE KNEW WHAT IT MEANT TO BE TOUCHED BY LIFE


WHEN IT GOES TO ASHES


WHEN THINGS GO WRONG




NO ROOM FOR A PREGNANT WOMAN


CHASED BY SOLDIERS OUT TO KILL BABIES


THE LONG ORDINARY YEARS


OF TRYING TO SUPPORT HIS MOTHER


GAINING THE RESPECT OF HIS NEIGHBORS


THEN LOSING IT


CHASED FROM HIS OWN HOMETOWN


HIS FAMILY THINKING HIM CRAZY


TRYING TO MAKE A KINGDOM OF SOULS


THEY WOULD MAKE HIM KING OF THE LAND


TRYING TO TEACH HIS SIMPLE MESSAGE TO HIS FOLLOWERS


THEY KEPT MISUNDERSTANDING




BUT WHAT HE COULD DO


WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE WOULDN'T WORK


HE COULD WORK A PIECE OF WOOD


HE MADE FARM IMPLEMENTS


AND HE COULD BRAG


THAT HIS YOKES WERE EASY


THEY WOULDN'T RUB THE ANIMAL RAW


THAT HIS YOKES WERE EASY


HE COULD MAKE THEIR BURDENS LIGHT


IF ONLY HE THOUGHT


I COULD SHAPE MEN AS I SHAPE WOOD


WOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FRIEND




MY PEOPLE MY PEOPLE


GIVEN TO ME BY MY FATHER


GIVEN TO ME TO BE SAVED


HOW I HUNGER FOR YOUR LOVE


IMPERFECT AS IT IS


HOW I HUNGER FOR YOUR LOVE




YOU ARE THE ALPHA AND OMEGA OF MY LOVE


BEGINNING AND END


ORDINARY LETTERS


GIVEN MYSTICAL MEANING


AS ALL MY PEOPLE


ALL MY ORDINARY PEOPLE


ARE RAISED TO A MYSTICAL LEVEL


BY MY DEATH


A DEATH THEY OFTEN DO NOT VALUE


NOR WILL THEY VALUE THEIR EXALTED NATURE


AND YET I LOVE THEM WHERE THEY ARE


AS I LABOR TO MAKE THEIR ROUGH WAYS PLAIN


THEIR CROOKED WAYS STRAIGHT


AS I POUR MYSELF OUT


TO FILL THEIR VALLEYS UP WITH ME




O THAT I COULD SHAPE THEM AS I SHAPE WOOD


WOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FRIEND




THE WIND MUST HAVE SHIFTED


FOR SUDDENLY


I FELT A CHILL










THIS IS MY BODY


TAKE AND EAT



THIS IS MY BLOOD

TAKE AND DRINK



SIMPLE STATEMENTS



BUT SCHOLARS HAVE ARGUED



FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS

AS TO THEIR MEANING

AND HOW



WITNESS THE SCHOLAR’S DEBATE



ROMAN CATHOLIC: SACRIFICE; TRANSUBSTANTIATION




EASTERN CHRISTIANITY: TRUE SACRIFICE AND OBJECTIVE PRESENCE BUT PIOUS SILENCE ON THE PARTICULARS




ANGLICANS/EPISCOPALIANS: REAL PRESENCE WITH OPINION




LUTHERANS - THE SACRAMENTAL UNION: "IN, WITH, AND UNDER THE FORMS"




METHODISM - REAL PRESENCE AS "HOLY MYSTERY"




CALVINIST REFORMED: SPIRITUAL FEEDING, "PNEUMATIC" PRESENCE



ZWINGLIAN REFORMED: NO REAL PRESENCE




ET CETERA ET CETERA ETCETERA



WHY SHOULD IT TAKE A PHD TO UNDERSTAND GOD



GOD HAS SAID IT

I BELIEVE IN GOD

OR OTHERWISE

NOTHING MAKES SENSE



I LEAN MORE TO THE EASTERN CHURCH

TO THE INDWELLING OF GOD WITHIN ME



IN THE JEWISH TRADITIONAL ANIMAL SACRIFICES

PART OF THE ANIMAL WENT TO THE PRIEST

PART WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE

PART WAS GIVEN TO THE DONOR

FOR A FEAST IN HONOR OF THE SACRIFICE



IT WAS THOUGHT

THAT GOD ENTERED

INTO THE SACRIFICE

BECAME ONE WITH THE SACRIFICE




SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE

ATE THE SANCTIFIED GIFT

THEY FELT THEY WERE PARTAKING

OF GOD




NOT A STRANGE IDEA

IN THAT PERIOD OF HISTORY

IT WAS A COMMON THING

THIS GOD MEAL IN ANCIENT TIMES



THAT TAKING GOD

WITHIN THEMSELVES

THEY BECAME GOD-LIKE


SINCE GOD CANNOT BE DIVIDED

THEY BECAME OF GOD


BECAME AS WITH ONE NATURE

ALL THE FELLOW COMMUNICANTS

BECAME AS ONE


WALKING IN THE STRENGTH

OF THAT MEAL

FORTY DAYS









A FEW LINES ON A PAD OF PAPER


AND CREATION HAPPENS


LIKE LAZARUS COMING TO LIFE



NOT A PICTURE


BUT THE ESSENCE


THE TRUE NATURE


OF WHAT IS PORTRAYED



THE HEART SEES


THE FINGERS DRAWN THE LINES



WHAT IS LEFT OUT


IS AS IMPORTANT



AS THAT SHOWN


AND BOTH ARE LIKE A DREAM


THAT ONE REMEMBERS


AND TRIES TO PUT DOWN







IT DIDN'T START OUT TO BE A NOISY DAY


IN FACT THEY WERE TRYING TO BE INVISIBLE


HIDDEN BEHIND LOCKED DOORS




HE’D GONE AWAY


AND THE WAY A CHILD IS CONSOLED


BY THE SOUND OF ITS PARENT VOICE


WAS DENIED THEM




WHEN SUDDENLY THE SHUTTERS BLEW OPEN


AND KEPT BANGING BACK AND FORTH


THE ROOM WAS FILLED WITH A RUSHING WIND


THAT BLEW EVERYTHING LOOSE


AROUND THE ROOM




THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH WIND


THEY WERE FISHERMEN


WHAT THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH


WERE TONGUES OF FIRE


THAT SETTLES ON THEIR HEADS


BUT DID NOT BURN


DID NOT BURN


BUT INFLAMED THEM




SO THAT THE ROOM WAS TOO SMALL


THEY RUSHED OUT TO MEET A CROWD


GATHERED BY THE SOUND OF THE WIND


AND NO MATTER


WHAT LANGUAGE


THE QUESTION


WHAT HAPPENED


WAS ASKED


THE ANSWER THEY HEARD WAS THEIR OWN LANGUAGE




AMONG THE CROWD WAS HEARD


WERE NOT THESE


THE COWARDS


THAT RAN AWAY


BUT NOW THEY SPEAK WITH ENTHUSIASM


LIKE MEN


DRUNK BEFORE THE NOON DAY HOUR


PROCLAIMING THE MERCY OF GOD




IN CELTIC TIMES


THE HOLY SPIRIT


WAS OFTEN PORTRAYED


AS A WILD GOOSE


A FITTING SYMBOL


FOR A RAUCOUS BIRTHDAY


NOT THE DOVE


COOING PEACEFULLY ON THE NEST


CONTENT


BUT A BOLD BRASH IMAGE


AN IN YOUR FACE BIRD


NO ONE HARMS WHAT IS MINE BIRD


A GET OUT OF THE PEWS AND DANCE BIRD


A MAKE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD BIRD


LET THE WORLD KNOW YOU'RE HERE BIRD




WE NEED THE DOVE


TO REMIND US THAT GOD IS GENTLE


WE NEED THE GOOSE


TO REMIND US


THAT GOD WILL BE HEARD


WE NEED THE GOOSE TO REMIND US


THAT THERE IS NEVER A POLITE TIME TO BE HEARD


IF YOUR BROTHER CRIES


TAKE CARE OF HIM


WE NEED TO LIVE LIKE THE WILD GOOSE LIVES


TRUE TO HIS NATURE


AND NOISY







DEBT OF LOVE

FRIEND
YOU ASK FOR NOTHING
YET IT IS IN THE NATURE OF LOVE
TO BE GIVING
BUT THEN WHAT TO GIVE
WHAT IN ALL I SAY OR DO
CAN EVER EQUAL OR REPAY
THE DEBT OF LOVE I OWE TO YOU
BUT THIS I GIVE
THAT NOTE WELL SUNG THAT MAKES A SONG
THAT WORD WELL SAID THAT MAKES A PLAY
THAT DEED WELL DONE THAT MAKES A DAY
IN ALL THESE THINGS THAT I SHALL EVER DO
YOU LIVE IN THEM
I SHALL REMEMBER YOU







ONE OF THE WONDERS


ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE
IS HOW BY STUDYING THE RULES OF NATURE
ONE CAN DETERMINE WHERE A PLANET WILL BE
AT A CERTAIN DATE AND HOUR

ONE CAN ALSO TELL THE QUARTERS OF THE MOON

HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN
HOW I MET YOU
THE OTHER HALF OF MY HEART
YOU MADE AND MAKE ME COMPLETE
CALL LOVE GRAVITY
AND SAY IT HAS
AND STILL DOES PULL US TOGETHER
WITHOUT YOU I WOULD SPIN OUT OF ORBIT
I AM THE MOON TO YOUR SUN
YOUR BRILLIANCE MAKES ME GLOW







NEWTON'S LAW



IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE
THAT EACH STEP WE TAKE
UPON THE EARTH
IS RESISTED BY THE EARTH
WITH PRESSURE EQUAL TO OUR WEIGHT
OR ELSE WE WOULD SINK
AS IF INTO A MUDDY PLACE

INTERESTING
THAT THE GOD OF NATURE
WHO MADE ALL THE RULES
PUSHES BACK
WHEN I WALK UPON THE EARTH

A CONTINUAL REMINDER
OF MY NEED FOR HIM
LEST I BE LOST IN A MUDDY PLACE

LEAN ON ME LORD
I NEED TO KNOW YOUR PRESENCE

LEAN ON ME LORD
I LIKE THE THOUGHT
OF HAVING YOU
PUSHING BACK






TREE



THERE IS A TREE IN THE SAHARA
IN THE MIDST OF THE SAND
AN ACACIA TREE IN THE MIDST OF THE SAND
BY A POOL THAT WELLS UP FROM A HIDDEN STREAM
THAT ONE DAY MIGHT HAVE RUN ON GROUND
HOW IT GOT THERE NO ONE KNOWS
PERHAPS A BIRD OR WIND
OR ANY ONE OF NATURE’S THOUSAND WAYS OF LIFE
BY CHOICE IT DID NOT WANT TO LIVE IN SUCH A LONELY PLACE
BY CHOICE IT DOES NOT SCATTER SEED
TO HAVE IT KILLED BY SAND AND SUN
BY CHOICE IT WILL NOT WITHER OR DESPAIR
BUT THRIVE AS BEST IT CAN
A WITNESS IN A BARREN LAND
BUY CHOICE IT TAKES THE CHALLENGE OF THE DAY
THE AIR NOT RENT BY MIGHT HAVE BEENS
BY CHOICE IT SOMETIMES WATCHES STARS
AND KNOWS THE LONELINESS OF SPACE
BY CHOICE IT WILLS TO LIVE NOT DIE AWAY
DISEASED BY DISCONTENT AND GRIEF
BY CHOICE IT TAKES THE PROMISE OF THE MORNING
AND TRIES TO MAKE IT LAST THE DAY









TO MY FATHER

I DID NOT ALWAYS LOVE YOU
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN YOUR PARENTAL CARE
CHAFED ACROSS MY FREEDOM DREAMS
LIKE A CAGED SPARROW I BEAT AGAINST THE BARS
NOT KNOWING I WAS TOO YOUNG TO FLY
BUT THEN I WAS MARRIED
AND THEN I GREW UP
AND MY CHILDREN HEARD IN MY VOICE THE ECHO OF YOURS

I SAW THE SAME BIRD BEATING IN THEIR EYES
I FELT THE SAME SAD BEWILDERMENT OF A FATHER
WITH HIS CHILD
AND I LEARNED TO LOVE YOU
IT IS PROBABLY IN THE NATURE OF THINGS
THAT A MAN SHOULD ONLY KNOW HIS FATHER AS HE AGES
AS HE HIMSELF BECOMES FATHER TO THE CHILD
IF IT WILL COMFORT
KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU
AND I REGRET
IT TOOK SO LONG













THE SEA


THE SEA IS ANGRY TODAY
MADLY IT THROWS ITSELF AGAINST THE SHORE
BEATING ITSELF UPON THE BREAKWATER
SPRAYING FOAM AND SEA HORSES IN THE AIR
THE WIND SCREAMS IN AGONY AT THE MAYHEM
AND THE SEAGULLS ADDS TO THE SCENE
WITH THEIR CALLING
THEIR MANIACAL LAUGHTER

ODD THE WAY WE GIVE TO NATURE
MAN-LIKE SYMPTOMS

ODD THE WAY WE GIVE TO GOD
SYMPTOMS OF AN ANGRY FATHER
THOUGH IN MANY CASES
HE HAS HIS OWN WORDS TO BLAME

BUT I PREFER THE IMAGE OF LOVING MOTHER
WHO FORGIVES HER WAYWARD CHILD
WHILE ENCOURAGING HIM TO DO BETTER

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE SOUL FINDS PEACE
NOT OFTEN
BUT THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN THE MOTHER
HOLDS YOU TO HER BOSOM

THEN SETS YOU DOWN
SAYING
GO PLAY
GO WORK
GO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER
GO MAKE YOURSELF BETTER
AND KNOW THAT IN THE STRONGEST STORM
I CAN SAY
PEACE
BE STILL












FRIEND
YOU ASK FOR NOTHING
YET IT IS IN THE NATURE OF LOVE
TO BE GIVING
BUT THEN WHAT TO GIVE WHAT IN ALL I SAY OR DO
CAN EVER EQUAL OR REPAY
THE DEBT OF LOVE I OWE TO YOU
BUT THIS I GIVE
THAT NOTE WELL SUNG THAT MAKES A SONG
THAT WORD WELL SAID THAT MAKES A PLAY
THAT DEED WELL DONE THAT MAKES A DAY
IN ALL THESE THINGS THAT I SHALL EVER DO
YOU LIVE IN THEM
I SHALL REMEMBER YOU


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