POEMS FOR LIVING IN COMMUNITY WITH GOD’S HOLY FAMILY
† † † † †
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN POETRY
W. E. Knickerbocker, Jr.
“As for me and my household
we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15b (NAB)
Book Privately Published 1997
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Among the many who have contributed to the writing and publication of this volume, I want to thank the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological Seminary of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for granting me a sabbatical leave during which these poems were edited and prepared for publication. Over the past twenty-four years, the Seminary community-faculty, staff, and students-has contributed in so many ways to the theology expressed in these poems. Dr. William T. Ingram, Jr., during his presidency, encouraged me to pursue the study of spiritual formation and spiritual theology. Dr. E. Colvin Baird and Dr. J. David Hester, during their presidencies, were pastors to me as I gradually was led through Protestantism into the Roman Catholic Church. The faculty and students of the Seminary, in friendly and lively conversations, have contributed much to my spiritual formation.
Fr. David M. Knight, Pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Memphis, Tennessee, has been a priest, teacher, spiritual director, and friend to me and my family for almost twenty years, and his ministry to and prayers with and for us have been essential in our spiritual formation. The charismatic community and other friends in The Catholic Diocese of Memphis have supported us continually with their prayers.
Fr. George T. Montague, S.M., Fr. Robert E. Hogan, S.M., and Fr. Alvin McMenamy, S.M. have provided spiritual direction and encouragement as my wife, Sandie, and I have been led into the Marianist tradition and family. The Community of the Beloved Disciple and the Marianist community at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, where we have lived during my sabbatical leave, graciously welcomed us and are encouraging us in our Marianist journey.
For those familiar with his writings, my indebtedness to C. S. Lewis will be apparent throughout this volume.
Finally, my heart overflows with thanks to Sandie for her prayers, encouragement, and editorial assistance in the preparation of this volume and for sharing with me the vision for the Household of the Holy Family, a private lay association in formation in the Marianist tradition and family of the Catholic Church.
PREFACE
This volume of poetry is especially intended for teaching and devotional use in families and other small groups and by individuals, who see the family (the domestic church) and the parish church as the primary spheres of one’s relationships: with Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Mary; with God the Holy Trinity; with the Holy Family of Bethlehem and Nazareth (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph), God’s icon of His Trinity; with Mary, the Virgin Mother of God and our Mother in the Holy Spirit and in the Church; and with one’s family and friends.
The following suggestions may be helpful when reading these poems:
First, the poetry is presented in the sequence of the Liturgical Year. Although the poems are not matched with specific Biblical texts, they may be read in conjunction with the daily and Sunday lectionaries of the Mass and with The Liturgy of the Hours.
Second, read each poem aloud, slowly, and perhaps more than once. (All the poems in this volume are in iambic meter with an even number of syllables in each line and the accent on the even-numbered syllables, and all poems are written in rhyme.)
Third, “ponder” each poem, asking the Holy Spirit to free your whole self–reason, intuition, imagination, conscience, senses, and will–to respond to what God is saying personally to you. (See Luke 2: 19, 51) Let the Spirit lead you to ponder Scripture passages brought to your heart and mind by the poetry. A concordance will help you find specific texts.
Fourth, if assistance is needed to define a word or concept, a one-volume Catholic encyclopedia (there are several in print) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church would be useful in addition to a dictionary.
Fifth, see the writings of C.S. Lewis for an explanation of “Christian myth” as it is understood in this poetry.
These poems are offered to the Church with prayerful hope that they will be a means which God will use as He redeems human families as He created them to be with a nucleus of husband (father), wife (mother), and children (a likeness of the Trinity) together with others who live as part of a particular home. In so doing, may He renew the family as the domestic church and as the primary unit of the parish church and, thereby, renew society.
† INTRODUCTION †
NEW EDEN
The sun in our enlightened West now sinks,
While desperately we look for candle bright
To shine and lead our way through this bleak night
Til dawn again brings Eastern sky new pink.
As through the dark we grope, we see a light
Illuminates our way to stable door,
And there within we see a family poor,
Whose riches lie in manger’s lowly height.
For from that manger, light of world is poured
To drive the darkness from our sinful hearts,
That we may know His truth in inward parts
Of image now bowed down-to Him adore.
His grace through Holy Family there imparts
To families likeness of His Trinity,
Created here anew through icon three
What He in Genesis in six days starts.
Each family made to be New Eden, free
To follow star from stable, shining bright,
While manger’s wisdom lightens all our night
As pink of dawn in East through Him we see.
† ADVENT †
WITH MARY
With you, dear Mary, we begin this year,
Hearts open like your womb to your Son greet,
As Gabriel says to us to have no fear,
For in each heart we will our Savior meet.
May we with you and Joseph journey make
To Bethlehem to learn humility,
And on that journey God’s first promise take
That from our sins your Son will set us free.
Although the world will close its doors that night,
Your open door will be in stable laid,
While we and world await God’s bright starlight
To shine for all who have this journey made.
Dear Mary, may our hearts with you respond;
In Advent journey with you we will bond.
ADVENT JOURNEY
We journey now to Bethlehem, |
our worldly cares behind;
We travel light to wait for Him
who looks for us to find–
To find in us a longing heart,
uncovered as we go.
God’s image in us from the start
we once again can know–
Can know when Jesus we here see
in stable’s manger laid.
We’re His reflection meant to be;
away our sin then fades–
Then fades into the misty past,
washed clean by God’s own hand.
In providence not meant to last;
remains what first began–
What first began in garden fair,
when time was fresh and young.
First Adam and first Eve were there,
God’s melodies were sung–
Sung here again o’er shepherd’s fields
by angels from on high.
A Baby our salvation seals,
for in Him God draws nigh.
SECOND ADVENT
God’s heaven and our earth in harmony
In Virgin and her spouse, on journey made
For us from Nazareth expectantly
To Bethlehem with hope that never fades.
God’s Son to Mary born, then born in us
Again to live; we Bethlehem become,
With Mary’s heart, to Holy Spirit trust
And welcome with her God’s begotten Son.
The One from Bethlehem will soon return
In glory to bring history to its end;
Gives joy to those whose hearts within them burn
With love for Him who came all hearts to mend.
We, Mary, Joseph come to Bethlehem;
Our hearts are mangers there to cradle Him.
ADVENT WAIT
O Lord, it seems like all I do is wait
As down the path of daily rule I trod,
And your appearing sometimes seems so late.
Yet every day you are my Lord, my God;
For on that path I learn to hope again;
On every day to watch with wisdom’s eyes;
In every face to see you and amend
My selfish ways, surrender all my pride.
Each day to truth and beauty more awake
Am I, in world transfigured by your grace,
While less for worldly pleasures my heart aches
As heaven’s treasures seen through heart made chaste.
In Advent may expectancy increase
Til Christmas comes again and my fears cease.
† CHRISTMAS †
BETHLEHEM’S ARMS
Pale pink of Sharon’s rose His sun here paints
The evening sky, as daylight fades to night
And quiet falls on Bethlehem, now faint
With sleepy sounds, all snuggled in delight–
Its arms around a mother, great with child,
Who takes her rest with husband by her side
In stable where in manger hay is piled;
For Baby for whom all the world has cried
Will come, born from the heart of Virgin Maid
Whose “yes” means all the world by Him is saved.
God’s Child is in His manger gently laid
As pink of Sharon’s rose His dawn engraves
On hearts of all who join in Mary’s “yes,”
Become a Bethlehem with Him as guest.
EDEN’S STABLE
In Bethlehem, see open stable door
Unguarded by old Eden’s flaming sword,
Unlocked by those with key of spirit’s poor,
God’s shepherds see a Baby as their Lord.
Close by Him sits a loving Jewish maid
Whose own consent brought all the world God’s Son,
With Joseph, who by her with courage stayed–
Those three, of God an icon Three-in-One.
From Mother Mary, God’s first Son did take
Our human nature and make it His own;
In hypostasis with divine then makes
One Person, Second Adam, here is born.
Through stable door we enter Eden new,
Born from above in Christ’s baptismal dew.
CHRISTMAS JOY
Those smells and sights and sounds of Christmas bring
The joy of memories present made again,
While future memories lived in present sing
Of love in families ‘cross all time God sends.
Delighted laughter of our children make
All older hearts release the care of years–
Allow the moment’s grace through them to take
Us all into those songs from them we hear
And as we lose ourselves in family love,
We know the faith and hope of Christmas morn,
When angels’ laughter wafted from above
To herald Savior in a stable born.
All families here on earth will always dwell
In heart of Him who is Emmanuel.
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
A Christmas tree is decked in Joseph’s coat
And shaped like cross raised high upon a hill–
Redeems all those who from a tree remote
Ate fruit that Satan said would never kill.
God’s Son upon that cross was joyful born
In Bethlehem of Judah, prophets told
Of Mary, who at cross is not forlorn,
For joy in Mother’s heart is never cold.
On Christmas tree her Son extends His arms
To all our weary world with love embrace
And gives us joy in our new Mother’s charms–
New Adam, Eve for all the human race.
A Baby in a cradle raised from grave;
Between, on Christmas tree, through His death saves.
HOLY HUMAN GRAIL
Where from this earth can we to heaven step?
Where is the veil between our worlds most thin,
A holy ground where by your hand you’ve kept
An open door so we can step within?
Then your light shines to us from stable door
With whisper from a still, small voice to come
To see the place where veil between us tore
As your Son came to depths of our world plumb.
When we your Baby see in lowly crib
And look into His eyes with new life bright,
Reflected there we see New Adam’s rib,
His Mother, bears humanity’s new light.
Wherever now we see your people dwell
Is place transparent through your human veil;
With your Son’s life in us, Emmanuel,
Each person’s life a holy human grail.
Through each one’s life you in our world now step;
In every face the veil between is thin,
For your Son’s heart has in us always kept
An open door so we can step within.
† HOLY FAMILY †
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
HOUSEHOLD OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Your family for your garden first was made
To live your joy in earthly paradise,
With virtues’ habits pure and free from vice
And in your tree of life’s eternal shade
Defeated Satan cast into that place,
There licks his wounds and your first family tempts
To be like you, holds humans in contempt–
And plunged in sin all families of our race.
Then, east of Eden you one family chose
For all earth’s families to be saving light
Through righteousness and not through worldly might.
You sowed the seed from which new Mother rose.
In Naz’reth your new Lily born in time
Immaculate of heart, our second Eve
To second family start and bring reprieve
From Abraham’s and Sarah’s human line.
Your Spirit came to gentle Woman pure
To ask her for her motherly consent
That veil o’er Eden, made by us, be rent
By Father’s Son to be world’s promised cure.
New family born in Joseph’s care abides,
An icon of yourself in Trinity–
Your family for your new humanity.
Our sin on your Son’s cross forever died.
At foot of cross, through John, we’re taken in
When your Son gives His Mother to us all,
Who taught Him first to you “Our Father” call.
Your family here on earth is raised again.
At Pentecost, you on us Spirit pour
To baptize all in heaven’s family name.
For all of us your Son like us became,
That we on Spirit’s wings again may soar.
May families with your Holy Family here
Be virtues’ homes, as your Son lives within
With Mary’s human heart, made free from sin,
To welcome Father’s Spirit, dry our tears.
May all our families as one household live
In Resurrection’s ever breaking dawn,
As you say to our fear of death, “Be gone!”
Your Trinity’s own life to all you give.
OUR HOLY FAMILY
Please, Holy Family, intercede,
pray for us here below.
For human family Jesus bleeds,
salvation we may know.
May we all be one family
through Church, our Savior’s Bride.
Teach all of us humility;
in Jesus all abide.
May we forget about the past,
forgive each other’s sins.
Let Son for us the future cast,
make whole world new again.
Please, Holy Family, draw us in
through your own ceaseless prayers
To your new life that’s free from sin
and from the Devil’s snares.
May Joseph our protector be,
and guard us with his hands
That through each one of us all see
Messiah’s holy land.
May Mary hold us in her lap,
give us a mother’s love;
And when it’s time to wake from nap
show us the Spirit’s Dove.
O Jesus, God in human flesh,
impart to us your Self;
Your Sacred Heart with our hearts mesh
in perfect human health.
Please, Holy Family, pray that we
be lost in Trinity–
There find ourselves with you–be free
for all eternity.
† EPIPHANY †
SUNDAY AFTER JANUARY 1
STAR-LIT NIGHT
A star hangs over stable in night sky,
Is now for all in world made wise, a torch
To light this place, show here is heaven’s porch
With ladder to our earth from heaven high.
As angels up and down that ladder go,
This night One comes who is those angels’ Lord,
Takes human nature in Him to restore
His image there and make His wisdom known.
His light from in that stable radiates
O’er all the earth from first to last of time;
Comes once for all to say to each, “You’re mine!”
Our dark dispelled, He hearts illuminates.
God sent His Son to us to be our light,
When heaven came to earth one star-lit night.
WISDOM AND VIRTUE
Here cloaked in heaven’s wisdom come those three
To worship Him who from above descends–
Remind Him of His family, Trinity,
Where human nature with Him will ascend.
Their gifts of myrrh and frankincense and gold
Proclaim Him Healer, Priest, and King of all,
Born once in time with wisdom never old,
When lifted high draws all on Savior call.
Forever after, those three to Him bow,
As wisdom always knows her righteous Lord;
To serve His holiness is wisdom’s vow–
Be virtue’s servant bound in crimson cord.
Lord, grant us wisdom, bow before your throne,
That virtue’s light through us may here be shown.
WISE MEN
Through cross, my heart a cradle now
for our Emmanuel.
Way He will come I know not how;
I search for wise to tell.
And then in distance I see three
on camels from the East,
And in the sky a star I see.
I know my search has ceased.
I follow those three men and star
with yearning in my soul,
And hope leads me to door ajar–
step through and love enfolds.
A cradle in a manger there
holds One who enters me;
No longer is my cradle bare–
through faith He enters free.
Near Babe is wisest one of all
who said, “To me be done”;
Forth from her wisdom God had called
to bear His only Son.
Now all are wise will her Son bear
in cradle of their hearts,
And breathe through Him pure heaven’s air,
as faith shapes wisdom’s part.
† BAPTISM OF OUR LORD †
SUNDAY AFTER JANUARY 6
WATER HOLY MADE
In water poured by John was our Lord wet;
All water holy made by Holy One.
So, in baptismal waters He is met
As Spirit poured brings God’s Begotten Son.
His holy water makes our sin there drown,
And death itself in water cannot live.
We rise, are clothed in Church’s holy gown
When His new life to all baptized He gives.
Through us, to world, His Spirit’s fruit will flow
To make creation righteous once again.
In our baptism, Holy Spirit blows
New breath of life that breathes away world’s sin.
Through holy water, see our earth’s re-birth–
To God, creation is of sacred worth.
A HOUSE OF MANY ROOMS
Is Jordan River like a moat
to us from castle keep?
We see a palace so remote
and for it long and weep.
We see a house of many rooms,
each bathed in same Son-light
And ask the Lord to grant our boon
that we may leave our night.
Then Jordan’s moat becomes a fount;
while crossing we’re baptized.
Those castle steps we start to mount
with Jesus at our side.
We step into a room that’s lit
by light of God’s own Son;
Hia virtue makes each of us fit
for home of Three-in-One.
We’ve endless rooms now to explore
as we all grow in grace,
And each room has another door;
the house has endless space.
Here farther in means farther up;
together we all come!
All drink from Jesus’ loving cup;
we’ve pure in heart become.
† ORDINARY TIME AFTER EPIPHANY †
FIRE OF LOVE
A light suffuses ours from world beyond,
Transfigures common things and radiates
To eyes that see God’s coals within His grate
Of earth made warm by Son who is the bond
Between our worlds, in union with the one
Whose own consent gave Spirit His new mate:
A Woman born of Eve’s same line, to wait
On Father, be the Mother of His Son–
Redeems the “no” of first Eve’s heart-cold voice
As opens she her womb, and fire descends
To bring through her new heart-warm human choice,
God’s sacrament, now our earth’s cold to end
With fire of love–consumes yet does not burn
Her heart and hearts who for Him only yearn.
BURNING BUSH
Lord, let me see your burning bush
in every human face,
That presence sin can never crush;
each face is filled with grace.
Grace present in a child’s sweet smile
and teary eyes as well;
Grace drawing out that second mile
in all who for you fell.
A burning bush in teenage frown,
see adolescent fears;
That face that frowns will wear a crown
in ever-after years.
Grace in wide eyes of those young loves,
who kneel at altar rail:
For better, worse pledge Spirit’s Dove
whatever seas they sail.
A burning bush in old one’s stare
as memories come through;
Those eyes that look we know not where
are looking straight at you.
A burning bush’s grace in grave
of one in this earth’s rest.
Christ Jesus all He came to save;
makes each His heaven’s guest.
ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
All sisters, brothers with a common Lord
Revealed to us with many different names;
We hate and fear each other to His shame
When rather than His peace we wield a sword.
Come, God of all, and give us your shalom,
Your wholeness, power here that we can feel,
When at your feet as sisters, brothers kneel
On earth you give to us as common home.
By different names we’re to each other known
As Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew,
From common root that blossoms many-hued,
For from the same ancestor we’re all grown.
May God’s peace reign in hearts of humankind
Through Jesus Christ, enlightens every mind.
BEATITUDE
Give us, we pray, your Mother’s longing heart
For righteousness, that we like her be filled
With you, as you with purity impart
Your meekness while our barren land is tilled
And sown with peace, that through us your peace made
In mercy for your sullied, sinful world
To rest again in tree of life’s new shade,
As you away from us and garden hurl
Our pride and give us Mary’s spirit poor,
As all with her lost Eden once more mourn
And in that mourning’s dawn your Spirit pours
New life; with you of Mary we are born
To know again the sweet of Eden’s light
In stable’s crib–your gift of earth made right.
GLORY LADEN
Please weight me with your glory, Lord,
that I be heaven bound.
Transform me with your holy Word;
in heaven I’ll be crowned.
May I my neighbor’s burden bear
with your graced humble strength
And see his glory laden there–
for him go any length.
May both of us be nourished now
by your gift, heaven’s food.
To you, your glory in us bows,
the source of all our good.
May we together to you rise
to worship at your feet,
As round your throne in heaven’s skies
all glory-laden meet!
REWOVEN
Your perfect pattern in each of us weave
By Spirit threads from heaven’s tapestry;
Then tangled by our sin we make you grieve–
No longer give you glory meant to be.
Each thread our fallen human hands have snarled
When we with you in garden early quarreled.
Your providence untangles thread by thread
Those virtues in us stretched on cross’ loom;
With Mary’s gentle touch by Spirit led,
Her first Son’s nail-scarred hands on cross each combs
To show your patterns waiting there will rise,
Appear in rainbow colors to our eyes.
Come, take me now, my threads about to break
As I the Devil’s foolish lies have bought;
My hand I reach with fear to your hand take
To let you stretch my threads on your loom taut
And weave me once again to make me new,
As your good threads in me show glory’s hue.
VIRTUE’S WISDOM
For knowledge as a mistress so I longed–
Brought pleasure in the knowing and control
Of others whose own needs I freely spurned,
Defined both good and evil in my role.
But mistresses are fickle in their play
As values made today can change the next;
So long I now for virtues same each day
And wisdom written in God’s given text.
Please, Jesus, be my spouse and bring forth fruit
From virtue in my heart your Spirit seeds,
So others are entwined in humble shoot
With constant wisdom sent to meet their needs.
May Jesus be my spouse and from me flower
His virtue’s wisdom constant every hour.
EARTH RISING
The winter hills in distant west are drenched
With evening light from sunset’s afterglow,
As earth’s own thirst for light has now been quenched
And darkness hovers close to those who know
That all life in this world will one day die,
Like winter sun beyond those far off hills,
To sleep in graves; in darkness all will lie
No matter what our human hearts may will.
Yet, sunrise always follows darkest night
When those same hills again in light are bathed,
As all on earth are given their new sight
Of life now rising from that sunset’s grave;
For in God’s end all human wrongs set right
By light eternal from His Son who saves.
† LENT †
ASH WEDNESDAY
MARK OF CAIN
Your ashes mark me as a man like Cain,
For like him I have my own brother killed
And need my sin washed by your pure blood spilled
So my soul will not be forever maimed.
My heart has wandered far in Eden’s east
As through the night I look for your new dawn;
And as I wander, from your strength is drawn
New life–o’er night works in my heart like yeast.
For forty days I wander, hold your hand,
Depend upon your eyes to see me through;
And then on Easter morn my new eyes view
Your bright sunrise that lightens Lenten land.
O may your ashes mark my sinful heart;
For your salvation I am set apart.
† THE LENTEN SEASON †
PAST DYING
Immortal Adam, Eve in selfish pride
Fell into sin and to mortality,
And through them, all of us, their heirs, have died;
For their sin means that we now mortal be.
As mortal, we in fear of death now sin
And seek eternal life on our own terms;
But no life comes unless we’re born again
From God. To be past dying we must learn.
To teach eternal life He sends His Son;
As fully man, mortality He shares.
Yet, as a mortal He’s the only one
Who does not sin; still Adam’s fate He bears.
It’s Adam’s sin that gives our death its sting,
And Second Adam dies with that sting gone;
So He to us eternal life now brings.
In His good death we join–our sin undone.
CONSCIENCE
The evil spirits of that fallen one,
To earth’s own human sphere exiled, now seek
To human hearts inhabit that are weak
And choose to stand apart from God alone.
For human strength is found upon those knees
That bow before the One who said, “Don’t eat.
You learn the truth while sitting at my feet,
For good and evil are my choice, you see.”
But we, like Eve, here bow instead to hear
The one incarnate in that serpent’s life,
Who seeks to enter us with Satan’s strife
And rob us of our own good human cheer.
O Jesus, us incarnate and awake
That conscience in us Mary’s choice will make.
OUR CRACKED LENS
Your world to your set pattern testifies,
Calls forth from our own hearts your order laid
In both, but now both seem to mystify–
A price which we for sin have grievous paid.
When we from heaven looked away and down
To see the earth without a heaven’s lens,
We cracked our glass and made our image frown
When we alone tried for ourselves to fend.
Then our cracked lens your whole earth also flawed,
And tooth and claw became the rule of life
For all your creatures and earth’s nature’s laws–
So plunged creation into man-made strife.
Our images together can’t make right
The fault that now has cracked the soul of each,
For human cultures, nations blur the sight
Of order in all that you mean to teach.
Made new, your lens you give to us again
As only Son from heaven now descends.
A Second Adam free from all our sin
Comes down to make us all again your friends.
With Christ as our new lens, we see the world
Through heaven; earth is viewed as meant to be.
The virtues made in us no longer furled
As image there first made by you blows free.
Before us now your glory all will stretch,
From you through heaven to us and your earth,
And your Son reaches down to all us catch.
He brings all up through stable to new birth.
WILDERNESS PRAYER
Inside myself I am a wilderness;
My house I’ve built on barren, shifting sand,
For my ambition drained my faithfulness
To leave my heart a parched and weary land.
But barrenness has made me come awake,
See Moses’ rock from which your water springs;
And long I now to meet you, my thirst slake.
To fountain tapped by cross my heart now clings.
Please come, and in my heart your presence gush
In water changed to wine by your shed blood.
With Spirit’s breath, make my heart green and lush,
My desert waste o’erflow with cleansing flood.
May Sharon’s Rose and Valley’s Lily grow
In me as I your fertile presence know.
A PERSONAL LENT
My demons in my soul arise,
awakened from their sleep.
Their rising takes me by surprise
and makes my faint heart weep.
They flit within me to and fro;
my hopes are dashed by fear.
Around and round my insides go
within I’m bleeding tears.
Lord, this is my Gethsemane,
let me not fail your test.
I lay my hope at Calvary;
know death with you is best.
Please use this for some other’s good,
for them I give my all.
Let me stand now where Mary stood,
with her hear Spirit’s call
Let me with her bear holy cross,
our suffering joined with yours.
May all my past in you be lost,
as you in me endure.
Come quickly, Lord, my body quakes;
let not the Devil win.
For me and for my family’s sake,
eradicate my sin.
Please bury all my selfish will
with you in hallowed tomb;
Then me with Holy Spirit fill–
raise me from nether gloom.
For all my family help me be
example of firm faith;
With you in me they all can see
my hope in you is based.
Deep in my heart perfect your love
as you through me shine forth;
Descend on me from up above,
and in me show your worth.
May I to your own heart be true.
Come, finish here your task!
Then take me home to be with you–
my true self now unmasked.
EMBRACING VIRTUE
Is our own fear a twisted good?
What good could this fear be?
Could virtue be misunderstood?
Is this humility?
Is pride the other side of fear,
old Satan’s own device?
We dislike fear, so proud we are,
and pay that serpent’s price.
In pride we think we are in charge,
the master of our fate;
But fear reminds us, world’s too large
for us in charge to take.
The unknown future opens out,
points to humility.
Embracing virtue, we can shout,
“The Lord’s in charge, not me!”
Then like a little child we trust
our Father’s ‘gotten Word.
His providence for us a must;
we bow before our Lord.
A fearless freedom then we know,
His presence all the time,
As everyday we heaven go–
His courage always find.
OUR MAKER AND HIS IMAGE
Your image in us is so marred by sin
That pieces there no longer seem one whole.
To know ourselves by our self-look is vain;
We see illusions of a sin-sick soul.
To truly see our image, look at Him
Who Maker is and image all in One,
And as we look at others, see in them
Himself in those baptized in Father’s Son.
And then through mist of sin shines forth in each
An image of God’s only Son unique
Who came to us from our own Father, teach
That each is only one with no repeat.
Our Maker came through Mary, maiden fair,
That old may see new glory laden there.
CHOICES
I look into Christ’s eyes and see
through window to my soul;
Unshuttered I see human me,
a sheep of His own fold.
Now I reflect His human face,
for I have been baptized
In Second Adam for our race;
our choice of Him is wise.
First Adam sinned our choice away;
by our sin we are bound.
Now Second Adam is the way;
choose Him and freedom found.
His choice, “Not mine but thine be done,”
reflects the Lord’s handmaid.
Choose Him, our choice and His are one.
We human will be made.
Humanity is now restored
through Second Adam, Eve.
Our Father now by us adored;
obedience brings reprieve.
HEAVEN’S DAY
The beauty of your myth-as-fact has stretched
Its truth from Eden’s garden green to tree
Of life by living waters’ streams where free
Are all in Christ who had been Devil’s catch.
You do your work through offspring of first Eve
To crush that serpent’s head with your Son’s cross,
Who came in Bethlehem as one of us
Through David’s line in Mary, who believed.
Your Israel transfigured now as Bride,
Where water flows from stable to that fount
Through garden tomb of Him who His cross mounts
And dies and rises to His Father’s side.
Now tears since Eden spilled are wiped away;
Jerusalem brings New Eden, heaven’s day.
ROUND THE CURVE
By glow of light ahead we see a curve,
And round that bend we know not what awaits;
But on our road with Christ is heaven’s gate,
So from this road with curve we will not swerve.
Christ’s faithful light shines through a night of rain
As journey’s cold seeps deep into our bones;
Yet His light’s warmth means we are not alone,
And rain in our souls cleans away sin’s stain.
When we go round that curve, we clearly hear
A gentle song that saints and angels play
To pull us on to Resurrection day
And on the journey soothe away our fear.
By faith we round that curve and not by sight,
As on that curve before us shines Christ’s light.
† HOLY WEEK †
PALM/PASSION SUNDAY
STABLE-BORN
A King comes on a donkey; stable-born
Are both and clothed in humble robes; disguised
Is glory, comes to us in peace, despised
By world who with its Adam’s pride adorned,
Refuses Him who is Himself life’s bread
When He will not succumb to Satan’s lie
And teaches truth, who is Himself now wise
In human ways–will suffer and be dead.
Yet, as we look upon His human face,
We shout hosannas to this winsome One
Who soon will die at hands of us who praise
His coming here; so filled is He with grace
He frightens us, for our sin is undone
By Him, so strong and humble to our gaze.
BETRAYAL
Our fallen flesh, in trial, is shown so weak
As in the night we all our Lord betray
And seek the dark instead of His new day–
With Judas, hide from sight of Him who seeks
To bless the earth through all before Him meek,
Defeat the Devil in our human fray.
With Him, God-light gives us His truth and way:
Forgiveness from His Father’s mercy seat.
With Peter, now, we cry repentant tears
For our denials deep inside our bones
And throw ourselves before the One who sees
All hearts and speaks to calm our sinful fears
By His shed blood, which for our sin atones
To create us again to human be.
REMEMBER ME
With Pilate, dirty hands we wash,
But water, living not, is dead:
Will not baptize with cleansing splash
Of Him the multitudes have fed.
With crowds, we shout to crucify
The One who brings eternal life
And try to make His truth a lie–
Perpetuate our human strife.
For we our pride strive to protect,
Forget His humble face we’ve seen
And lash the One whom we suspect
Has come to make our nature clean.
But victory is not ours this day
As darkness covers land at three.
With Him there one in grave will lay;
Through suffering eyes His truth now sees.
“Remember me!” to Him he cries,
And Jesus speaks His words of love:
“With me you’ll be in paradise!”
They ride to life on wings of Dove.
† MAUNDY THURSDAY †
HOLY MEAL
In recollection of Passover sign
You gather friends. Seen by the eyes of faith
Your Blood appears–transformed is earthly wine;
Your Body finds in bread a resting place.
In bread and wine, the work of human hands,
From bounteous gift to us of grape and grain
You come, make all you enter holy land
As you take in yourself our human pain.
For us your feast a Resurrection meal
When gather we with you by Galilee,
Our names forever in your Lamb’s Book sealed;
Our human nature made again sin free.
Lord, enter us in offered wine and bread
And on that serpent’s head forever tread.
SWADDLING CLOTHES A TOWEL
Blessed Mary, now we see these swaddling clothes
A girded towel, by loving hands made wet,
To wash their feet through your pure heart he knows
From you, where Spirit, human nature, met.
When all was washed. His cross is still ahead–
And weeping in a garden bloody tears–
A tomb with swaddling clothes, another bed–
‘Til dawn on Easter morn removes all fears.
Your heart so wedded with the One divine,
Yet still distinct and fully human made,
Is now for your son, John, and all a sign
Of heart that washing by Begotten gave.
His swadding clothes at Supper were a towel
Unwrapped from your own heart for all us now
A NEW COMMANDMENT
A new commandment fulfills all the rest:
To love as He loves us in Eden’s east.
We celebrate with Him at wedding feast,
A Cana for His Church, the world will bless,
Now spread at table with such common things
Of bread and wine–by Savior’s hands are held,
Become His Body, Blood His cross will bring
To Supper of the Lamb whose life is spilled.
We eat and drink His love, salvation’s food–
Gives us His heart to with Him daily die
For world, where every day an unknown rood
On road to Jericho for us will lie:
Our neighbor, wounded, needs His healing hand
Through us, a touch of Eden’s promised land.
SALVATION’S CUP
He prayed could pass from Him old Eden’s cup,
That would not by His emptied Person pass;
Our dust called Him to in our Garden sup
To make His bond with human nature fast.
So He who gave to friends the cup of life,
At Supper table laid by kingly Host,
Laid down His life on tree and took as Wife
His Church–His life to ransom her it cost.
His victory over satan in the lists
Won Church, His lady fair, His Body be
In world; He bids our sinful lips to kiss
His loving cup, to drink His life sin-free.
He mixes human dust with Godly Blood
In cup for us–becomes salvation’s food.
† GOOD FRIDAY†
GOLIATH SLAIN
With sword in hand is now the mighty slain
By Second David, with his man-made sling-
Shaped like a cross on which He feels our pain,
As He picks up the challenge giant flings.
“Come down,” they say, “and we will then believe;
He others rescued, cannot Himself save,”
Still thinking death will finally Him receive–
Not knowing that with sling He enters grave,
And with that sling He slays Goliath there
So death is dead in tomb on Easter day.
For in close combat by death’s rules fought fair,
He slung His sinless Self in our death’s way.
In single combat, death is killed by Him
Slung from a sling–Himself, the King of Men.
FORGIVENESS: LAW BENEATH ALL LAW
“Forgive,” He prays, “they know not what they do,”
And in that prayer is law beneath all laws
For Church to make His Father’s whole world new;
Born from His side, to Him the Church us calls.
From wounded side His living water flows,
While in the sleep of death to give new life;
Plunged in that healing flood all baptized know
New birth in Holy Church, the Bridegroom’s Wife.
As Adam gave his flesh to form first Eve,
So Second Adam’s Blood for His new Bride–
A wedding feast’s new wine for all believe
His Mother’s first request from His own side.
Sin is condemned; may always we forgive
As we repent our sins and in Christ live.
CRIMSON PURPLE
We long, O Christ, for our sins to be drowned
In water, red by your bled crimson drops
From Sacred Head was pierced by thorns of crown
And purple hued before the flow did stop.
May Mother, whom you give through John as gift,
Make cradle of her arms our cleansing font
As to your wounded side she all us lifts,
For bringing us to you is her first wont.
May we, with John, acknowledge Heaven’s Queen–
Wears crown of thorns transformed to olive wreath,
Your gift of peace through your baptismal rain
From cross through grave that’s empty of our grief.
With crimson, now turned purple, cover us;
Made new through Mary, raise us from the dust.
“I THIRST”
I’ve faced myself and found a land that’s parched,
With tongue so dry I almost cotton spit,
And my voice croaks from Satan’s viper pit;
It’s my fault life for me on earth is harsh.
Then in my barren land, see Sharon’s Rose
Hung high upon a cross, who says, “I thirst;”
And Spirit’s water makes His dark grave burst
With life for all who with Him their lives lose.
His living water from that cross flows red
To irrigate our land; new flowers bloom
As Spirit’s breath blows fragrance through our gloom–
Brings heaven’s manna, and we all are fed.
I’m like a land that desert wind has dried,
But heaven’s rain came when, “I thirst,” He cried.
IT IS FINISHED
Surrender there He makes complete
When spirit to His Father gives.
Incarnate life through death will live
Forever at God’s mercy seat.
His Sacred Heart He wills to sleep
With us who for our sins all lie
In Eden’s soil, condemned to die
Since we did not commandments keep.
And in that human death God tastes
Through Son what we all know will come:
An earthly grave, old Eden’s home
For image soiled of God’s pure face.
Like baby He is taken down
From cross into His Mother’s arms–
She cradles Him in her lap warm:
A King and Queen New Eden crowns.
† HOLY SATURDAY †
IS THERE NO HOPE?
O’er hill and city comes an early dusk,
While life-blood seeps from Him who made this day.
The sun now dips its colors ‘neath earth’s crust,
And death o’er life’s way seems to have its sway.
Then she, who to His life her nature gave,
Again holds Him to Mother’s loving breast.
Will Spirit came to her come now to save
God’s only Son from everlasting death?
His grave clothes swaddle Him against the damp,
And tomb is sealed to wait the coming morn
As soldiers there around His grave encamp.
Is there no hope for Son to Mary born?
HARROWING OF HELL
His enemies contrive to post their guards,
Commanded by their leader, Captain Pride–
Are unaware their angel prince now writhes,
Impaled below on cross’s beam, a sword.
Their hearts above remain toward God’s Son hard,
And their tongues wag to His disciples chide;
Deriding faith in broken hearts abides
Soon will be healed with Resurrection’s nard.
He hastens now His harrowing of hell
And breaks forever Satan’s fallen spell,
Returns to garden past death’s guard at gate
To meet with all, in Magdalene, who wait—
Unknown to them His words, “Fear not, it’s I”–
Will transform tears as hearts with joy will cry.
DARK NIGHT
Let us, O God, not enter night alone,
For cloud of dark without your Spirit’s light
Will be eternal hell with blinded sight
Of faith, and hope and love both dead and gone–
A Satan’s lair where souls of lost will moan
Forever in despair in that dark night,
Contending with their sin in lonely fight
That’s always lost without you to atone.
Let us unknowing cloud step in with you;
Your perfect sight through faith becomes our own–
The only way to hope and love renewed–
As you for our sin on the cross atone,
And cloudy mist becomes baptismal dew.
With witnesses and you we’re not alone.
EASTER
† THE EASTER VIGIL †
EASTER BREEZE
A breeze’s lips brush my cheek with their kiss,
Breaks vigil’s silence by its gentle moan,
And hint of dawn in eastern sky is shown
So faint; its light in dark I almost miss.
I rise and turn toward east to face the breeze
And feel my heart grow light within the dawn
As my past and the night both now are gone;
In wind and light I am by future seized.
A gate I’ve never seen before appears,
With Vine entwined and damp with morning dew;
It rustles in the wind, and its light woos
My heart by words within to “have no fear.”
Long vigil by His grave this night is past;
He opens gate to new world born at last!
† EASTER DAY †
STONES CRY OUT
A stone is first to see He is awake,
Bears witness to creation’s risen Lord
Before whom all the Earth will bow and quake,
Redeemed by One who spoke its alpha Word.
All Earth no longer mute–forever speaks
Of Him who is the Church’s living stone,
Proclaims His Resurrection we all seek,
Through faith in Him for Adam’s sin atones.
No longer is the dust our final home
As ground itself becomes His open door.
Through gift of faith, He to us all says, “Come!”
And we in hope and love rise to adore.
When we are silent, all the stones proclaim
That He is risen! Of creation King!
JOHN’S FAITH
His Mother’s faith on Easter Day
Is present in her new son, John.
He saw how empty grave clothes lay,
Believed His new life had begun.
That same faith seen in Nazareth
When Mary said, “Your will be done.”
In heart of John is here confessed
That Jesus is God’s risen Son!
The others see and then believe,
While John believes and then He sees;
His Mother’s faith He has received–
Their hearts can see for you and me.
Our risen Lord says we are blessed
When we believe within our hearts;
Our fleshly eyes are not the best
To know the faith His life imparts.
For fleshly eyes will someday die,
But spirit’s eyes will risen be–
Same eyes that now in our hearts lie,
In heaven, with them Him we’ll see!
HEAVEN’S SONRISE
Now heaven’s Sonset pinks earth’s skies;
dark night is coming on.
In that dark night salvation lies;
behind it comes the dawn.
Dark made the night by shadow cross
cast down by God’s strong hand.
In Eden’s meadow dies sin’s dross
as darkness covers land.
Within dark night a curtain torn,
divided heaven, earth,
And through that tear new life is born
as heaven claims earth’s worth.
Then heaven’s Sonrise pinks earth’s skies,
red-colored by Christ’s Blood.
Earth’s garden shudders with a sigh
touched by the hand of God–
Drinks in new life from heaven’s skies,
white-washed in Blood of Lamb;
Wipes all away dark Satan’s lies
who Sonlight cannot stand.
New Vine now grows in God’s good soil,
makes Eden’s garden new.
Gethsemane’s Emmanuel
gives earth a heaven’s view.
That new cross Vine, new tree of life
not barred by flaming sword,
Grows in new soil not torn by strife–
earth bows to God’s own Word.
New branches grow on that new Vine;
creation is restored–
All nurtured on that Blood-red wine
that flows from Christ, our Lord.
Upon those branches grows Christ’s fruit
from Eden’s new cross tree;
New fruit that grows from Jesse’s root
is now forever free!
† THE EASTER SEASON †
EMMAUS ROAD
We walk along a dusty road,
Our spirits with a heavy load;
Our minds around inside us whirl.
We thought He would redeem us all
From sin that comes from Adam’s fall,
But dead He is in grave clothes furled.
A stranger joins us on our walk;
He asks about what we now talk–
Tell Him of Jesus crucified.
He says to us our hearts are slow,
Then opens what we did not know–
His death the Scriptures prophesied.
Our hearts inside us burn with love,
Fire kindled by the Spirit’s Dove
With gentle rub of two-edged knife.
The evening fast is drawing nigh;
“Please stay with us,” our hearts now cry;
This stranger speaks the words of life.
He blesses, breaks, and gives the bread
Which really is Himself instead:
Once dead He is alive again!
God raised His own Son from the dead,
So death ourselves no longer dread.
Emmanuel forgives our sin!
ROSE’S DEW DROPS
Drops crimson fell from Sharon’s Rose
on Valley’s Lily blue;
His earthly life came to a close
before her heart that knew–
Knew Spirit’s promise, angel’s words
brought Him to Eden’s east;
Through “yes” from her the angel heard,
from bondage we’re released–
Release proclaimed by eastern star
that Baby born, our Lord.
To save from sin He’s traveled far;
all wise come heed His word–
The Word of God is Truth and Life
born in a manger laid.
He comes through Mary, saves from strife;
she’s with Him to His grave–
A grave that has new crib become
where we in Him are placed;
And there all sin of ours undone.
We rise, reflect His face–
A face that shines through all of us
baptized into His name
When we, with Mary, Father trust;
we’re new but just the same–
The same as were supposed to be
before in Adam fell;
Yet now, beyond His tomb we’re free
from sin and death’s last knell–
A knell for all us ever tolls
as all the world born new.
The Vine of Sharon’s Rose enfolds
all flowers with its dew–
A dew that fell on Lily first,
with John falls on us all.
It satisfies our heaven’s thirst
when each upon Him calls.
THREE GARDENS
His truth and beauty hearts and minds unite
Through gardens tied with kingly purple thread,
From Eden through Gethsemane’s dark night
To garden where He’s risen from the dead.
His Easter garden now brings Eden bloom,
As purple thread turned crimson by cross cast
Back through Gethsemane to Eden’s gloom,
And spring to Eden comes again at last!
His truth and beauty, woven now as one
Through hearts and minds, bring harmony and peace.
Creation and redemption through God’s Son,
From Father, Holy Spirit is released.
May bloom of Eden New fill hearts and minds
With beauty, truth–God’s gifts to humankind.
A BREEZE FROM PARADISE
Comes wafting on faint morning breeze a smell,
A fragrance of some strange, yet known, perfume
That fills the air in my once musty room;
And from my dim dry eyes the tears now well
As memories of a time before I fell
Drip down into my heart’s deep circling gloom
To melt away sin’s seal on my dark tomb
And raise me from my inner fires of hell.
That perfume comes from bloom of paradise
Long buried there, now raised on Easter morn,
As risen Lord through us breathes breath of life
And garden new in each of us reborn–
Grows virtues’ fruit with flowers’ fragrance sweet
For heaven bends to earth and each one greets.
HEAVEN’S VOICE
Let us below hear heaven’s voice
Amid the babble sounds of earth
That call us now to make a choice;
Each says its cause of sacred worth.
In hearts let us know silence first
As you make quiet other noise,
So for your Word our souls will thirst
And hunger to yourself enjoy.
In Israel’s Psalms let us hear you
Whose Holy Spirit breathes your Word
Through those old words to make them new,
For you are always Israel’s Lord.
Emmaus is the road we’re on;
Now we see you in all before,
For always there was David’s Son.
With faith we see and so adore.
Through lowly hearts our minds set free
As faith leads us to understand;
In Law and Prophets clearly see
The words they speak of Son of Man.
We cannot see the road ahead,
But Jesus see through faith-filled eyes;
His still, small voice in our hearts leads
Us on to destined paradise
THE NET
In morning air, I smell sea salt
and see a fishing boat;
I thought that I could hide my faults
on island so remote.
I step behind a large fig leaf;
to show myself I’m ‘shamed.
I know indeed I am a thief;
my sin brings others pain.
From here I see those fishermen
unfurl their vine-like nets;
Then suddenly I hear again
a voice I can’t forget.
The words I hear are newly formed:
“Those laden, come to me,
For in this net you’ll be reborn;
from sin I’ll set you free.”
I step into the open sea,
and in that net I’m caught.
My aching heart must humble be;
of Jesus’ cross I’m taught.
Through water I am hauled aboard,
and I’m fed bread and wine,
Join others here who call Him Lord–
all branches of one Vine.
Now all of us can fish for men
who live on garden isle,
For all He wants to save from sin;
He goes a second mile.
And then our Captain sails us east
to resurrection morn
And spreads for us His wedding feast–
creation is reborn.
† ASCENSION DAY †
FOREVER EASTER MORN
The whole creation Gibeon;
its sun is standing still:
A celebration for God’s Son–
His grave no longer filled!
A day is like a thousand years,
those thousand years a day,
When banished are our sinful fears,
and life o’er death holds sway.
Forever Easter in God’s eyes,
ascended to His side
His Son–the Way, the Truth, the Life.
It’s for Him Rachel cried.
Now Rachel’s tears are tears of joy,
her children all new-born.
She gives God thanks for Mary’s Boy–
forever Easter Morn!
SALVATION’S LADDER
From blandness my gaze lifts a moment brief
And sees above this tepid mass a rung,
With beauty raised to stand in bold relief
Above pale sameness everywhere far-flung.
By mounting curiosity I’m drawn
To second rung stretched out above the first,
Connected with it by a brightening dawn
Where colors in both show, awakening thirst
For higher rungs, with beauty all around
From rainbow’s steps together tied with truth–
By unseen hand lifts up, with grace abounds
Toward vision of His face, the final proof
That truth and beauty in His heart are wed
To raise us up this ladder from the dead.
SHEPHERD KING
Come! Touch us, Lord, with your new kingly reed,
Transformed in David’s hand to shepherd’s crook
While you on cross for your lost sheep did bleed,
Who have in our sin your sheepfold forsook.
When you against the sky are lifted up,
As Shepherd King you call to all your lambs
To come into your sheepfold and to sup
Again on heaven’s food from Father’s hand.
And when we come, with living water clean
Our wounds and suture them with hands of love
Which feed us bread and wine, not what they seem;
For sheepfold here is door to one above.
Ascended now, you open heaven’s door
For your lost sheep brought home with spirits poor.
LOVING PRESENCE
Unspoken words in our own hearts you hear;
Your eyes search out the thoughts of every mind,
For nothing here escapes your listening ear;
Your sight our every hiding place can find.
O let us praise you in unspoken words
And turn our every thought to you embrace,
For omnipresent, you are always Lord
Of each of us and all the human race.
No one can keep us from adoring you,
Whose graceful power in world knows no bounds;
Your eyes keep all that’s here in heaven’s view;
Your ears hear all from loud to faintest sounds.
We thank you for your presence everywhere;
From God’s right hand, you give all tender care.
† PENTECOST †
GLORY INTO GLORY
We know that with His glory Spirit comes
When Jesus breathes the Spirit on us all;
From glory into glory we’re all changed,
And all made one through Christ as Spirit falls.
Though one, we’re many in the Spirit made,
Each one hand-crafted part of larger whole
As glory full each one of us invades–
With truth and beauty in each single soul.
In each one made are those same virtues seen,
With glory’s fruits in each a fragrant scent,
Perfected in those gifts to each have been
Uniquely given–each for Church is meant.
In your own Spirit, come, O Lord, take us,
And breathe your glory through our earthly dust!
OUR SHEPHERDESS
Our Mother Mary prayed in upper room
For Spirit to descend on human flesh;
So Church would then become as her blessed womb,
A Body where divine and human mesh.
And when the Day of Pentecost had dawned,
The Spirit came to make the Church Christ’s spouse,
A temple new for which God’s Son had longed
Since Spirit vis’ted Mary in her house.
Now Mary is the Mother of His flock,
His shepherdess for all of His new sheep
Who with her bear His life on faith’s firm Rock
And will for all the world His new life keep.
In heaven she prays for us each to know
Christ Jesus in our hearts–the world to show.
HOLY SPIRIT
I am our Spirit, hover over time
To enter history when and where we will
And take its chronos into kairos prime–
Yet always present even when seem still.
I’m present at creation’s alpha day,
Then through that week when all the world was made,
There at the last when time will end our way,
And in-between with timeless, time invade.
I’m present in the womb of second Eve,
Conceive in her the Son the Father sent
To bring to earth forgiveness, full reprieve,
When curtain dropped between us once is rent.
I’m present at the cross and garden grave,
In all of time this present always make;
I breathe His cross and risen life to save
First Mary, then her children–all partake.
I’m present on the day of Pentecost
To form the Church with all my ghostly gifts;
I baptize our whole world no longer lost,
While all to Christ I draw–His cross I lift.
I gather Father’s family to Him now
With Mother Mary and begotten Son,
As saints below and saints above all bow–
I breathe together all in Body one.
† ORDINARY TIME AFTER PENTECOST †
† TRINITY SUNDAY †
SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
THE DANCE
Eternally He’s Father to a Son,
Begotten of His Father, always there;
With Spirit is forever Three-in-One,
For seamless is the garment these Three wear.
In dignity the Father’s first in dance;
His Son’s the second; Holy Spirit leads.
Of self-same substance, each with all entranced;
The dance proceeds as each the other heeds.
Those Three decide in love to then create
A partner, who in cosmic dance will bow–
Another dancer to participate,
With freedom of their love to be endowed.
And so is Adam born with breath through clay
To join his lady Eve in heaven’s ball–
Will dance the night away to break of day
In worship of the One who made us all.
Though sin has marred the beauty of this dance,
The Son descends to meet our human need–
Takes Mary’s hand to give us second chance
To follow Spirit’s lead and not impede.
In ordered rhythm we find that we’re free,
Submit to Spirit’s guidance round the floor–
With Mary in submission meant to be–
Now fully human, dance through heaven’s door.
BLESSED TRINITY
To you I come, O blessed Trinity.
Before, afraid would your consuming love
Forever bind me in captivity.
And yet my search for personality
Through pride of human life does futile prove.
To you I come, O blessed Trinity.
Exhausted now, I seek to remade be
By you whose Second Person my sin shrove;
Forever bind me in captivity.
And in that binding, make me human free–
Creation’s wind anew breathed by your Dove.
To you I come, O blessed Trinity.
In Father’s arms, a Mother waits for me
With Joseph, Jesus–icon you above.
Forever bind me in captivity.
At last, I nestle in your Holy three
As love through me forever gently moves.
To you I come, O blessed Trinity;
Forever bind me in captivity.
HEART STRINGS
In transformed hearts, the murmur of your lyre
Sounds as your fingers play on our heart strings,
And angels with us of your glory sing.
Alive again we are by you made pure
When to your glory we our voices raise,
That glory’s imaged in our human souls
As Spirit blows through us to make us whole;
And through us, Father, Son each other praise.
Your song in us is heaven’s chariot
Ignited by your Spirit’s fire, raised high.
Humanity to Trinity drawn nigh
And we by angels are to heaven caught.
Come, play our human strings; your praises ring
As glory raises us on angels’ wings!
† CORPUS CHRISTI †
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
REAL PRESENCE
If we could see you with our doubting eyes
And touch you with our fleshly human hands,
We could believe and with your Church then stand,
Proclaiming truth against all worldly lies.
But where is truth for which our hearts now long,
Your Body raised from tomb on Easter morn
Released from binding grave clothes it had worn
To live again that we may sing your song?
Then we before us see your altar laid
With bread and wine, from grain and grape were raised
From their own graves on earth to give you praise;
You touch through human hands to be remade.
As you take in yourself what we give you;
In bread and wine your Body, Blood we eat;
Through risen life around your altar meet,
Partake of love–we all believe anew.
THE DESCENT
I hold the host within my hand,
and ask if this is you;
How can true God become true man,
to this bread thus imbue?
Then over pages fresh wind blows
your providential breath;
Philippians Two to me you show–
feel in me my own death.
For if I want to understand,
to myself I must die
And from your nail-scarred human hand
accept humility.
Humility divests itself,
a death for Adam born;
But through it comes New Adam’s health
to us on Easter morn.
Christ’s own descent means we ascend
when empty we are filled.
No longer must we all pretend;
we’re from deception healed.
And now I look at bread, true Host,
with resurrected eyes:
The One who condescends the most,
in this bread is alive.
For He who came as one of us
is placed upon my palm.
Now I can eat that Host and trust
you are God’s healing balm.
MARRIAGE SACRAMENT
In our fragmented human race,
God comes to make us whole–
To heal our wounds with saving grace,
our lonely hearts console.
For at the fall both female, male
began disordered love–
A thing of beauty now turned pale,
reordered from above.
Baptism’s wash wakes us from sleep;
we see each other new.
Plunged once for all beneath the deep,
God’s purpose now in view.
Two wedding rings join hearts as one,
a sacramental act–
A union that’s forever done,
eternity’s own fact.
Our Lord’s new wine again is poured
through two at wedding feast;
Their Lord through other each adores–
for world, salvation’s yeast.
A consummation of God’s plan,
when He created two–
New soul mates for His human clan,
their union earth renews.
TWO JOINED AS ONE
When this world’s cares entwine me round so much
That my soul’s hope is strangled in my chest,
And rises there despair to my heart touch,
I’m summoned once again to godly quest.
When for our God my heart so fully yearns,
I see my wife through eyes again unveiled
And know her love for me is never earned
But is her gift to me that never fails.
Together we are lovers and soul friends,
As we two joined as one will always be–
A union even death will never end,
For in each other’s eyes we both Christ see.
Lord, thank you for salvation with my spouse–
Forever life together in God’s house.
CHRIST’S HAND
Together are united we
with this our marriage yoke;
In common bondage we grow free,
fulfill what our Lord spoke.
When two are joined in flesh as one,
each one grows more unique–
In Trinity with God’s own Son
through Mary’s nature, meet.
Our children, fruit of married love,
God’s image newly cast;
Each one hand-made by Spirit’s Dove
and will forever last.
A holy family we become
as we forgiveness learn;
With Christ the center of our home,
to Him we always turn.
Form holy habits deep within–
each heart by virtue shaped.
As death with Christ frees us from sin,
His cloak upon us drapes.
And when each in that Jordan steps
to cross to promised land,
We find together God has kept
His fam’ly by Christ’s hand.
CHRISTIAN FAMILY
“Oh what am I to do,” we say,
“I want to follow you,
To do great things along your way
while keeping you in view.”
“Then come and be a faithful spouse;
raise children in my faith–
The greatest thing, a Christian house–
each one of unique worth.
“Please teach them that I lived and died
as in me you’re transformed.
Alive again, I’m by your side,
domestic church to form.
“Make wise decisions day by day,
for each immortal be.
Forever destined by me stay;
through you it’s me they see.
“Are many jobs in Church and world
can be done just for me;
But in that world, most precious pearl–
a Christian family.”
MATERNITY
Eternal gift to us is motherhood
Through her who stood
Beneath the rood
Of Son, to liberate from selfishness
To selflessness
And others bless
By bearing Son of God to other men–
Be born again
In each of them.
Lord, come, be born anew in each of us;
That serpent crush
In all who trust,
Give Mary’s “yes” to always mother be,
So world may see
Our bended knee
Brings life to Eden, once through Eve made dead–
New life is fed
By Christ our Head.
Eternal life comes through maternity,
Fecundity–
God’s peace all see
As Second Adam through new Eve is born
On Easter morn
From grave clothes worn
By Him in swaddling clothes His Mother wound.
We’re now unbound
With life wrapped ’round.
Come, Mary, be for us a sacrament,
A symbol meant
Of our consent
To be the womb of life for fallen earth,
Give second birth
To Him who’s truth,
To Christ whose risen life we all can bear
When we all share
Our Mother’s care.
PATERNITY
God’s gift to Church and world: paternity,
In Joseph see
Reflectively–
Submits his strength to Jesus’, Mary’s needs
And always heeds
The Spirit’s leads;
Like Jacob’s Joseph, trusts in providence,
Knows happenstance
Not human chance.
We pray for gift of Father’s distant look;
Through Son forsook
The fruit we took.
In Father Adam, clutched we what was near,
Were grasped by fear
And failed to hear.
For family, father is to look ahead,
See all are fed
By Christ, our Head.
May we, like Joseph, heed our heaven’s dream,
Not earthly schemes
To greatness glean;
Our families place before all worldly fame,
Surrender same,
A light yoke gain;
As husband, father be true patriarch
With servant’s heart
To Christ impart.
Teach us, Christ Jesus, our own Father’s way;
With Joseph pray
That all we say
To family formed as Body, will upbuild,
Our vices kill,
With virtue fill
Til up we grow in you, our family’s Head.
Be raised from dead,
To heaven led.
CHURCH AS FAMILY
In past, I have been Ishmael
and wandered all the earth;
When stopped, I’ve worshiped every Baal
but never found my worth.
For worth comes through a family,
and far from home I’ve strayed–
Refused to Father bend the knee,
my Mother disobeyed.
But now my fam’ly comes to me
through one begotten Son;
His human bondage sets me free
to join His Three-in-One.
And when I join that Holy Three,
real person I become.
Blessed Mary will my Mother be
in our new earthly home.
That home is God’s New Israel,
New Church for all His poor,
His healing place for all who fell;
He opens wide the door.
We are with water circumcised,
then fed with bread and wine,
For our old sinful self has died–
at family table dine.
Around the table gather all,
new fam’ly of our God;
from highways, byways all are called
by Jesus Christ our Lord.
TRUST IN THE CHURCH
They tried to demythologize your myth
And found themselves with pieces in their clutch
That would not fit together by their touch;
For spurning whole that is to us your gift,
They would not to your Church their proud eyes lift
But trusted in their shallow reason such
That your Word written pulled apart so much,
Together minds and hearts no longer fit.
Come, Spirit, come! Mythologize our hearts
And so through them breathe wholeness to our minds,
As gift you make of myth through Church to us.
Your wisdom through tradition you impart,
So pieces of your written Word will bind
Together with our minds, as Church hearts trust.
HUMAN SACRAMENT
We hunger for a human touch–to feel
A sacramental whole, and be assured
That we are not a spirit bare–to heal
This split of body, soul, our fall inured.
But we are told we are because we think,
So fleshly bodies and the world instead
Are disconnected from our minds and sink
Into the status of an object dead.
To know our bodies are alive, we try
A desperate game of violence and of sex,
Yet in our desperation we all cry
To God to make our bodies, souls connect.
Then God replies, His glory is a man,
One full alive, a human sacrament
Of earth and heaven joined when time began
Is now restored by One to earth He sent.
We turn to Christ, look in His face and see
Our human visage clear, not through a glass—
A man alive as we are meant to be,
And in that man see God who’s come at last.
Through living water pass and to Him come,
Our minds and bodies knit as ‘fore the fall:
A sacrament we now once more become.
‘Tween sensual pleasures, thoughts, there is no wall
A sacramental union through the heart
No longer atrophied, but virtues seat,
Infused with life and knowledge, all one part,
As heaven, earth, through humankind here meet.
MAKE ME CHRISTIAN
Unite in me all those unraveled strands
Of Protestant and Catholic, East and West,
Together woven by His nail-scarred hands
With cross’ needle, mends our man-made mess.
In Christ’s united heart of love take me,
Together with all those now in Him deep;
Beneath divisions let us know how free
Are those in you who Jesus’ wisdom reap.
In catholic spirit let us world embrace,
With outstretched hands become our Savior’s arms
As gathered there is all the human race,
Drawn to God’s side by Jesus’ winsome charm.
Please, Jesus, merely Christian come make me,
That all the world in me see Trinity.
HINT OF MORN
Are we locked up with nature’s dark around,
Our reason growing from a mindless mass?
Does conscience come from that not conscience bound,
Imagination’s myths from nature vast?
Or is there something in us from beyond,
A gleam of supernature lights our souls,
Reminds us of a time that is now gone,
Yet calls us to a future past foretold?
Is virtues law in our own hearts a gleam
Of world to which imagination calls,
Another world whose unobstructed beam
On Eden fell before our nighttime fall?
O Lord, your light of conscience, reason join
Imagination’s virtues’ hint of morn.
SPIRIT, SOUL, BODY
Our spirits, souls, and bodies now are one,
United by the Holy Spirit’s breath–
Created new what once had been undone
And brought to life through Jesus’ holy death.
Our spirits waken now from their long sleep
By sin induced in garden long ago,
Are born again in His baptismal deep.
Our bodies, souls their virtues once more know.
Our new creation has a human chest
Where Mary’s faithful heart by Spirit beats,
Assured, through her, that we can meet the test
As we together stand at Jesus’ feet.
To only Son the Church will always point,
While He draws all the world unto Himself.
In Body, knit together every joint,
Our spirits, souls, and bodies know new health.
Perfection of that union now assumed,
For Mary reigns as Queen at Jesus’ side.
Like Moses’ bush we’re burned but not consumed
By fire of love–all raised in Christ abide.
CERTITUDE
Lord, what we want is certainty,
but certitude you give;
We want to be sure privately,
with others not to live.
Yet Church is your community;
your Truth she does preserve.
Diversity in unity,
each one all others serve.
Our reason, conscience bound as one
know certitude in you,
Receive from Church what you have done;
From old grows your own new.
Your Church, our teacher of the past
from which your future comes;
The shape our future takes you cast–
through Church ourselves become.
Together comes your certitude
that what you teach is true;
Then in your personal plentitude
you come to each anew.
Your certitude is then expressed
in multitude of ways;
In each one’s image Truth is pressed,
so world can see you raised.
VIRTUE WHOLE
If we decide to pick and choose
which virtues we will keep,
We find humanity we lose;
your image goes to sleep.
Your image meant to be awake
and by all virtues fed;
We starve ourselves when we forsake
your image and sleep dead.
Lord, face us toward your coming dawn;
with new light penetrate
That sleep in which our soul has gone
from Eden’s fruit we ate.
May our eyes open to your truth
that virtues are a whole;
Together they are warp and woof
to make complete our soul.
Let us see Christ’s humanity
awake with virtues full–
United with divinity,
humanity not null
Your glory is a man alive
in union with divine.
In Jesus, you a live man give;
from Him we drink new wine.
Your new wine is humility,
that virtue binds the rest;
Those cardinal ones in unity
with Paul’s to give life zest.
And then restore us to that place
where tree of knowledge stands
With tree of life, a cross’s grace–
all virtues from your hand.
CHRIST OF THE SHOP
Today I saw a Man pass by my shop,
As many pass along this way each day.
He looked at me, but work I did not stop–
Refused to hear the Word He had to say.
But as this day comes to a usual end,
It’s He alone remains in my mind’s eye,
For something stirs in my heart deep within.
Of Him my memory draws a longing sigh.
What is it in me now that makes me think
That I am but a mirror of His face,
Where in me His pure image is made faint
By my sin’s role in Adam’s fall from grace?
That night in bed I hear a gentle knock
On my closed door, all bolted and secure,
And in my heart I know I will unlock
My door and hope it’s He with my sin’s cure.
I rise and pull the bolt with trembling hands,
Fling open wide a door long-frozen shut;
And there at unbarred door, that same Man stands–
Asks me with Him to at His table sup.
He comes inside and sets a wedding feast
With His dear Mother and His Cana friends;
And there, around His table, gives His peace
To all who back to world again He sends.
I open up my shop when morning breaks
And He is there in each comes through shop’s door;
For once His image made He ne’er forsakes
Us here who open door with spirits poor.
THE STABLE ARK
A stable is our Noah’s Ark,
one family aboard;
All animals and people, hark!
A Baby is your Lord.
The One who saved you from that flood
way back in Noah’s time
Comes now to spill His royal blood,
clean up our sinful clime.
That Stable Ark sails all the world,
a Body called Christ’s Church
Pulls all of us from whirlpool’s swirl
of sin and Satan’s clutch–
Sails through that cross on calvary
in Christ’s own Blood washed pure;
With our eyes clean, we clearly see
the lie of Satan’s lure.
We know we cannot be like God,
for He tells what is good,
Devours snake with Moses’ rod–
that rod on Calvary stood.
God’s good is Jesus Christ, our Lord,
from stable cave to grave;
That Stable Ark has cross as sword–
sails through tomb’s door and saves.
On Stable Ark we reach the sky,
float on baptismal pour
To know the truth, not Satan’s lie–
step through that stable door.
THE CHURCH’S NAVE
I step into the Church’s nave,
see there inside the door
A little font with tiny wave
puts out a deafening roar.
That nave begins to sway and rock
as wind begins to blow;
I feel as if my soul unlocks
and in God’s Spirit flows.
The water’s splash from font now wets
me clean through to the bone,
And over me a fishing net
draws taut; I’m not alone.
With others in that net I’m hauled
aboard to nave’s own rail.
We kneel and now we know we’re called
to on this Vessel sail.
Strong hands are placed upon our heads;
we’re all fed bread and wine.
We’re resurrected from the dead
by Jesus, living Vine.
For Vine is that same net that caught
us all in life’s own grip,
And on this Vessel we’re all taught
that from this net Blood drips.
Now on that Blood, this Ship will float
from earth to heaven’s shore,
For we are on Our Lord’s strong Boat–
in Church forevermore.
EDEN’S OLIVE BRANCH
An olive branch wrapped round a crown of thorns
Is borne by Dove, who flies with Spirit’s wings
O’er all the earth where thorns and thistles reign,
Anointing all who were from Eden torn,
With balm of Gilead from Samuel’s horn,
That world may with its Second David sing
Of His own peace, as crown of thorns now rings
The earth where Eden with its trees reborn.
For those two trees now sprout from Calvary’s skull,
A land so torn by strife all thought was dead;
Yet, He who died on cross has life so full
That thorns of earth take life from His bruised head
And circle earth with holiness–all pull
Through Eden’s gate where with His life we’re fed.
THREE TABLES
For Supper of the Lamb, a table laid
Above in Father’s house to welcome home
His Son, who here below atonement made
For human family in which sin had come.
But first a table spread in upper room,
For family gathered there, of wine and bread,
Who sit with Him who on this earth is doomed
To give His Body, Blood among the dead.
Between those two are Resurrection meals–
In upper room, on road, and by the sea–
To show His tomb is Eden’s gate unsealed
For all redeemed to be who meant to be.
Three Tables–all are one–for us are spread
Who do not living seek among the dead.
CO-ETERNAL HOLY SPIRIT
He’s present at creation’s dawn
and at salvation’s birth;
He’s co-eternal with the Son,
with Father has no first.
Before all time began He Is,
breathed from the Father’s lungs
And breathed in by one Son of His–
eternal song that’s sung.
He’s breathed by Son in all of us
to bring our Father’s gifts;
We paint with breath of His own brush
the Church, to whole world lift.
With Father, Son His breath new binds
creation once again
To Godhead One, and we all find
through Christ we’re free from sin.
The Holy Spirit is His name;
He forms God’s holy Church.
With Father, Son, He’s One the same;
Each one of us they touch.
THE GREAT DANCE
Come dance with me, and you will hear
New Zion’s own ballet;
You’ll hear the music of the spheres
as cares are cast away.
For my creation is not dead
but breathes a living pulse
As life flows through its veins Blood-red,
and Satan is repulsed.
For Jesus’ Blood is antidote
to Satan’s serpent bite.
There are no snakes on Jesus’ Boat,
an Ark bathed in His light.
That Gospel Bark puts up its sail
and catches Spirit’s breath.
No more do Bethl’em’s mothers wail,
for Jesus conquers death.
That Lifeboat’s pulled by chariots
to New Jerusalem.
Old Eden now a place forgot;
forgiveness brings it home
A home where earth and heaven dance
as angels dance with men.
We all now have a second chance
to dance again with Him!
AWAY BLOWS EDEN MIST
Away from us blows our hearts’ Eden mist
(Our vice in Adam made so long ago)
By Spirit–steals our hearts for you with kiss.
For too-long buried virtue we have missed,
All covered by the dross of our sin’s show;
Away from us blows our hearts’ Eden mist.
Restores in our hearts early Eden’s bliss,
Your Spirit’s fruit in us from virtue grows
By Spirit–steals our hearts for you with kiss.
Come, broadcast through our hearts your Spirit’s gifts
As in the world, fruit’s nectar overflows.
Away from us blows our hearts’ Eden mist.
To heaven now our eyes in Spirit lift,
Drink wisdom poured from heaven in our souls
By Spirit–steals our hearts for you with kiss.
You tangled knot of sin in us untwist
And peace past understanding we can know.
Away from us blows our hearts’ Eden mist
By Spirit–steals our hearts for you with kiss.
PROPHETS, PRIESTS, AND KINGS
He comes to us to prophets make
to speak to world His Word,
When we His Spirit here partake,
confess Him as our Lord.
He comes to us to priests create
to bring His healing oil
For broken world that hesitates
when sees its own sin’s soil.
He comes to raise us all as kings,
with Him dominion share,
And bow before his throne to sing
His praises everywhere.
All prophets, priests, and kings abide
in His self-giving love;
Humility, supplants our pride,
brought by His Spirit’s Dove.
MULTI-COLOR
O Lord, your leaves of multi-color made,
With each uniquely dipped by loving hand;
But winter comes, and their bright colors fade
When each is drawn into your larger plan.
So images of you are many-hued,
Each with a by-your-hand-sewn colored cloak
Reflecting from you love in each imbued,
While all together in your grace we soak.
Then like your leaves, we each fall to your ground
Yet still are part of your one grand design,
For through this death new life of each is found,
Restoring all our colors through your Vine.
O Living Vine, with us your colors weave
As to you and together we all cleave.
DYING BRINGS NEW LIFE
‘Tis in a land so still we hear your call,
When suddenly we see those autumn trees
As they were seen from far side of the fall,
First glimpse of what it’s like to be sin-free,
And viewed your Son’s new law through autumn leaves,
Now ours since Devil sank his prideful claw
In ready hearts which then refused to see
What was to be our man-made fatal flaw;
Yet image in us at our sinful hearts still gnaws.
As autumn leaves show winter’s death is close,
So those same trees show His dread death is near,
Bring sadness bittersweet but not morose,
A lens your gift to us to make things clear,
For cross is present there and also here
In autumn leaves and in our hearts’ own pain,
As world and we are lifted high through drear
To see your loss of life is our own gain,
For through your grace you bring us Eden’s spring again.
May we know full the joy of winter’s death
While under autumn leaves we make our bed,
Til, quickened by your Holy Spirit’s breath,
With you we rise in garden’s spring from dead
To live anew with you, the Church’s Head,
And bring your autumn’s death to all the earth
Through living Body, Blood we all are fed–
Then Spirit quickens all with your new birth,
For dying brings your life as New Creation’s worth.
MYTH BECOME FACT
At last I’ve had a glimpse of your true myth
From world’s creation to its eschaton,
Of Eden where we chose your truth to miss,
And where you promised you would send your Son.
For tempted there by one from heaven cast
By Michael and his mighty angel host
Were Eve and Adam, who for freedom asked,
And ate and found they had true freedom lost.
With promise made of Savior they were placed
In Eden’s East to work with sweat of brow,
As Eve and Adam had their own sin faced
And knew they needed heaven’s Savior now.
Through Noah’s flood and Babel’s tower moved
Your myth in history, came to incarnate,
To Abraham who his first home did lose–
Trust providence to guide his family’s wait.
Through Exodus and Covenant came Law,
Your medicine for human sin-sick selves;
Through Law your fire and cloud the Hebrews saw,
As on them your fresh Spirit through Law fell.
By prophets you called kings to righteousness:
To justice, mercy, and a humble walk.
In spite of weakness and unfaithfulness,
Through psalmists, sages, you to us still talk.
And then your people wept in Babylon
For you and for their lost Jerusalem;
But then back home again you let them come
To ready them for trip to Bethlehem.
You sent your angel to a Jewish maid,
Young Mary born in town named Nazareth;
And Gabriel told her not to be afraid,
For through her all the earth would now be blessed.
With her consent came into world your Son,
As Spirit brings Him into sinless womb;
With her “not mine but thine,” good death begun,
For through her your Son ends in our new tomb.
He teaches and through words your wisdom speaks
These truths are woven in world’s tapestry,
That when we first your heaven’s kingdom seek
Our human will in your own will is free.
He died for us, by human will betrayed;
“Forgive them all,” He said, as He hangs high;
Then taken down He in a grave was laid,
While His whole world breathed for Him mournful sigh.
But in a garden Magdalene did see
The One whom she had known as her true Lord.
Now raised forever, all are made sin-free–
Creator speaks His pure Redeemer’s Word.
For sin and death in tomb were left there dead
By Son, whose human nature was not held
In death, for human union with Godhead
Undid the sin begun when Adam fell.
Same Spirit moved on first created day
Was breathed by Him into His holy Church,
As through His Body here in world He stays–
His wisdom to be spread o’er all the earth.
For now His myth through Church incarnates world,
Flows in each culture shaped by human minds,
Unwraps those grave clothes human sin has furled,
As heaven’s stairway up the world now winds.
When earth draws close to heaven’s golden gates,
The more herself she all anew becomes,
And all baptized together share Christ’s fate
To die and rise again to heaven’s home.
Then final act of Christ’s redemption brings
An end to world and Satan’s evil reign.
With Eden raised to heaven, angel’s sing
Of New Creation Christ returns to claim.
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN
In rustling sound of wind, my dead heart wakes
From sleep induced by venom of an asp,
And hope, a stranger, now my faint heart grasps–
For angel’s wings stir wind for all our sakes.
In my heart’s eye I see a Virgin Maid’s
Sweet face, in New Creation’s first fair light,
As she an angel hears without sin’s blight
The first awaked by choice her Son once makes.
Her human “yes” brings Him in swaddling clothes.
Disguised He comes, our heart’s consent to woo,
To die for us so we can our sin rue
And Him as Savior from that sin will know.
Yet hope, which in that night my heart has seized,
Tells me one day creation all will see
Him come again, and all will bow the knee
To King: completes all time–all world’s reprieve.
† CHRIST THE KING †
LAST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
KING’S RAINBOW
A rainbow circles from uplifted hands
Around the earth to all of us embrace–
An end to storms that raged throughout the land; God’s image is restored in human race.
A Noah’s promise made to all the earth
Gives to us Catholic Church as our New Ark,
And living waters wash in Spirit’s birth
All earth in light dispelling clouds of dark.
To Christ our King will earth and heaven bow,
And all confess that Jesus is the Lord
Of all sin’s storms which can afflict us now;
For even storms will Him as Lord adore.
Your rainbow round the earth, your kingly crown–
We’re free from all sin’s storms when to you bound.
WORLD A WEDDING FEAST
Our Mother Mary points to wine
transformed by only Son,
A sacrament of love divine
when water, wine made one.
Through water all baptized first pass,
their transformation starts,
And then at Altar of the Mass,
we meet Christ’s Sacred Heart.
Baptismal water gives new life;
His Spirit then ferments–
The Church is made the Son’s true Wife,
fresh wine for old world sent.
New Noah’s Ark on wine does float,
and Eden now drinks deep,
As all on earth come on this Boat–
this wine in all earth seeps.
The bones of Eden, so long dry,
with new flesh now are clothed.
In death the earth no longer lies;
she’s raised from her repose.
The world is now a wedding feast;
from Eden’s vines all drink.
And Spirit’s gifts through Christ increase–
the human race all linked.
New Earth and Heaven with joy sing,
our human race redeemed!
With Mary, bow to Christ the King;
all live by Cana’s stream.
† CERTAIN HOLY DAYS †
† ST. ANDREW †
NOVEMBER 30
THE FISHERMAN
St. Andrew in His net was caught,
hauled close to Jesus’ side.
For all of us our Savior taught
him to evangelize.
To brother Simon brought the news:
Messiah at last here!
Comes to us with His love infuse
and cast away our fear.
To Jesus, Andrew brought a lad
with five loves and two fish
Not much, but it was all he had
and answered Jesus’ wish.
With them, He fed the multitude
and now feeds all of us
In sacramental plentitude,
when we with Andrew trust.
At Andrew’s side, we all proclaim:
“Our Savior now has come!”
In each one’s heart He makes His claim;
His net draws all us home.
† IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY †
DECEMBER 8
MARY SANCTIFIED
Our perfect human virtues seen in her
Who bore God’s Son, whose presence sanctified
Her heart in Anna’s womb, a fragrant myrrh
In Mary blown from Calvary where He died.
His Spirit in first Adam’s clay once breathed,
Now blows again-eternity in time.
Humility from garden Mary wreathes;
A human crown they share, “Not mine but thine.”
Her arms of love in hope her Baby holds,
The fruit of faith revealed when she said “yes”;
Faith grown in Anna’s home, her virtue’s mold,
Shaped by the One she welcomed as her guest.
May Mary’s virtues lead us to her Son;
With Him through her we say, “Thy will be done.”
IMMACULATE MARY
Our human nature glorified
in Christ, Emmanuel.
In Mary’s womb His Godhead hides;
His Heart with her Heart melds,
Now Mary’s nature sanctified
in union with her Son;
By Spirit’s breath her past is tied
to Resurrected One
Immaculate she is conceived
in mother Anna’s womb.
Her pure Heart opens to receive
God’s Son, will rise from tomb.
When glorified ascends above,
He draws all to His side–
To His dear Mother gives His love.
Her body there abides.
And someday all with Mary be;
we’ll stand by Spirit’s Bride.
For there through all eternity
our nature glorified.
† OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE †
DECEMBER 12
ROSES OF LOVE
In dead of winter, spring-like dawn now peeks–
Illumines desert where new roses bloom
In presence of a Lady, who now seeks
To bring us hope in midst of winter’s gloom.
A peasant lad is wrapped in Jesus’ cloak–
Knows his new Mother’s love as son in Son.
Her love with fresh-picked roses deep through soaks
Us all, as Church she gathers into One.
She bless’ed Juan Diego’s mantle casts
O’er shoulders of us all in winter’s dark
With imprint of those roses that will last,
Our Lady brings refreshment to our hearts.
From Guadalupe to each shivering soul
Comes warmth of Christ to waiting hearts make whole.
† ST. STEPHEN †
DECEMBER 26
OUR FIRST MARTYR
Today the first of our Lord’s soldiers died,
A martyr dead on earth and born above,
Who calls us all to stand by Jesus’ side,
Give witness to His pure undying love.
For Jesus–who is love and from dead raised
Beyond His grave (will never die again)–
By Stephen, calls all Christians every day
To martyrs be in world entrapped by sin.
Each day, as Christians by our loving deeds
We witness to Him who our Captain is;
Through words and actions daily our lives bleed
In ways are quiet, join our lives to His.
So never ask who is to martyr be,
But always say, “Lord, here am I, send me.”
† ST. JOHN †
DECEMBER 27
EYES OF LOVE
We pray to have the eyes of John
To see the cross through gaze of love
And stand by Mother of God’s Son–
See Him as One sent from above.
On Easter morn, John’s loving sight
Leads him to see and to believe
That empty tomb proclaims earth’s night
Is ended now, new life conceived.
Beyond the cross, by Galilee
His eyes of love say, “It’s the Lord,”
And we, like Peter, through him see
The One who is God’s Living Word.
We do not ask for Thomas’ eyes,
But John’s, to open in our hearts;
It’s here His Son’s love now draws nigh
To us His blessing to impart.
With God’s Word, let us feed His sheep
While Jesus’ love flows through our gifts
As in us Spirit’s fruit we reap.
With John, He us to heaven lifts.
† HOLY INNOCENTS †
DECEMBER 28
HIS WITNESSES
His witnesses are Innocents
Killed by the soldiers Herod sent,
and we hear Rachel’s cry.
They die amid their parents’ wail;
Their blood will mingle in His grail–
with Him in death will lie.
Their unjust deaths He soon will share,
As innocent like them He bears
the weight of others’ sin.
With Him they’re joined eternally
In death and life that set all free
and will know joy again.
All tears will then be wiped away,
And with Him they’ll forever stay
enfolded in His love.
The fullness of their human life
Will blossom far from Herod’s strife–
Jerusalem above.
† MARY MOTHER OF GOD†
JANUARY I
BLESSED THEOTOKOS
Blessed Theotokos, closest to God’s heart,
Who human life imparts
To Him, our nature needs
From us, so He can for us lifted bleed–
Pray we with you be drawn to wounded side
Of Him who for us all here suffered, died.
Blessed Theotokos, hold Him to your breast
From crib to final rest
He takes in borrowed grave
To bury sin and from that serpent save.
Pray our hearts with your heart in grave with Him
Will find in tomb the birth of Bethlehem.
Blessed Theotokos, present there with John,
Whose faith in Risen One
In garden Easter morn
Proclaims you first in Him to be reborn.
Pray seeing not with fleshly eyes, yet we
With your pure heart His Risen Body see.
Blessed Theotokos in that upper room,
Whose faith dispells our gloom,
Lead constantly in prayer
All those in hearts with you are gathered there.
Pray Spirit brings your Son to dwell in us,
As with you we God’s Holy Spirit trust.
† CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL †
JANUARY 25
THE DAMASCUS ROAD
Consumed within by his misguided zeal,
God’s New Creation seeks at Antioch;
But on Damascus Road to him revealed
This Jesus, Shepherd of His new-born flock.
In blinding flash down from his horse is knocked,
Gamaliel’s protégé whose name is Saul;
And with the light of truth his heart unlocked
By our Lord who from mother’s womb had called.
In three days, scales from blinded eyes will fall
As Paul now journeys on Emmaus Road–
Learns Jesus is for Jews and Gentiles all,
With His light yoke replacing heavy load.
Through faith in Christ, in us fulfilled His law,
That we may see on our road Who Paul saw.
† ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD †
MARCH 25
CHRIST’S MARY NATURE
Through Mary, human nature you assumed,
And in that coming did not make it less;
On your prerogative did not presume,
But asked if you could come to be our guest.
When that pure Virgin Maid from Galilee
Received your own permission to respond,
Renewed our human nature’s dignity–
By her consent restored with you our bond.
With Mary’s restoration were enlarged
Our first created souls to Eden size
As you took human nature, long submerged,
And made it fully human and alive.
May we together say with Mary, “Yes,”
As you, through her, each one of us now bless.
† ST. JOSEPH: THE WORKER †
MAY 1
ST. JOSEPH’S HANDS
Strong Joseph, in your human hands you held
The One who formed your hands so they could hold
Himself, and with your worker’s tools could mold
Created things, as they to your will yield.
Pray now that One was nestled in your arms
Will so shape me that I, like you, in heart
Can hold God’s Son and so become a part
Of His own Body here in world of storm.
Pray now that His pierced hands will me so mark
And I so yield to nail-scarred human touch,
That I may cast away this sinful crutch
Of my self-will, has made His world so dark.
Please, Joseph, pray His workman’s hands shape me,
That I like you His worker here may be.
† VISITATION OF MARY †
MAY 31
THE VISITATION
Who is it makes our hearts to leap
When Mary comes from Nazareth?
We listen to Elizabeth
Who names the One wakes us from sleep.
A peasant girl the first to wake
As Son of God breathed in her deep
By Spirit–human nature reaps
From her to Second Adam make.
In mothers both, God’s joy is known;
Are mothers made for all our sakes.
Baptismal thirst will older slake
Of Mary’s Son when He is grown.
Through Spirit, with God’s suffering love,
Both mothers feel the pain is blown,
Redeems our Eden seed once sown;
With them, we’re raised by God above.
Now Mary visits all of us
With her first Son on Spirit’s Dove,
Who opens us to our hearts move
To speak our “yes” with Mary’s trust.
† SACRED HEART †
FRIDAY AFTER CORPUS CHRISTI SUNDAY
SACRED HEART, OUR CORNERSTONE
O Sacred Heart, so wounded deep,
With Mary’s Heart your vigil keep
As for us both your Hearts do weep;
For as we sow, we also reap.
Peace in our hearts we cannot buy,
So trapped are we by Satan’s lie,
No matter now how hard we try,
In us the price is just too high.
Imperfect cannot perfect be
Since first Eve chose imperfectly.
One perfect in humanity
Must come to us to human free.
God’s New Creation now is born
Of Woman from the old not scorned.
Her Heart one Heart that’s not forlorn,
A Heart that has not our sin worn.
From Mother, He our nature takes;
His Sacred Heart her own Heart makes,
As human nature on earth quakes,
When from its sin-drugged sleep awakes.
That Sacred Heart joins with our own;
Her Heart Immaculate now known.
In human nature virtue grown
With Jesus’ Heart, our cornerstone.
†IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY† SATURDAY AFTER SACRED HEART
MARY’S BIRTH
A seed blown back on Spirit’s wind
That brings a flower from David’s stem
To Anna’s house now heaven bends,
Anticipating Bethlehem.
It blows through empty tomb’s grave clothes
And swirls round Cross on Calvary’s hill.
To Anna’s womb comes Heart that rose
For Sacred Heart no sin can kill.
A Heart’s conceived Immaculate
A Second Eve for human race
To save us all from our sin’s fate—
Through Mary’s Heart reveals His face.
And then when Anna’s time had come,
A valley’s Lily wrapped in blue
Was born as heaven’s earthly home—
Makes Eden fresh as morning dew.
† BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST †
JUNE 24
THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
To her beyond her time, Elijah born,
Prepared God’s family for Salvation’s Horn:
The Son of God, his cousin in the flesh,
Who came all earth to touch, make new and fresh.
The wilderness becomes a pasture green
By water poured from Jordan, realized dream
Of those repentant, for forgiveness long–
Baptized by him whose word from God is strong.
He points not to himself but to the One
Who is before and also is to come–
Fulfills all righteousness, makes water clean
By Him who is an ever-flowing stream.
Now water and the Spirit join in fire
To purge the earth, with holiness inspire
All families to, with John, true prophets be
Of Him who takes us into Trinity.
† ST. BENEDICT †
JULY 11
OUR FATHER’S WORK OF ART
We look into the past’s dim mists
and see emerge a clue
To order in disorder’s midst
where we the Gospel view–
For there in late antiquity,
we see upon a hill
St. Benedict’s community
of worship, work, and quill:
A pattern for a family
to live the Gospel full,
Be in the life of Holy Three,
as all together pull.
The times they never are so bad
this pattern can’t be lived,
Outlasting any passing fad
through order God’s grace gives–
A place where each can human be
with virtues, fruit, and gifts
In each uniquely crafted–see
how sin from each will sift–
A way of life with Christ’s own love
shows forth through every heart.
All earth drawn in by Spirit’s Dove:
our Father’s work of art.
† STS JOACHIM AND ANNA, PARENTS OF MARY †
JULY 25
TRUE RICHES
Were Joachim, Anna with their riches sad
‘Til angel came to all their darkness lift
By promise of a daughter to make glad
Their hearts with Spirit’s gracious, holy gift.
Immaculate is Mary made by Son,
Whom she would later bear, in manger lay.
Her parents are grandparents of the One
Who teaches all of us to Father pray.
The joy of Joachim, Anna also known
By all who worldly riches count as naught
And with their daughter bow to Him is shown
To be God’s Son, who first all families sought.
With Joachim, Anna we with Mary fall
At her Son’s feet to call Him Lord of all
† ASSUMPTION OF MARY †
AUGUST 15
MARY, QUEEN OF MERCY
O Holy Mary, Second Eve,
as Heaven’s Queen you’re crowned;
Through your own Son, a full reprieve
for Eden, grace abounds.
With you earth sits at heaven’s hand;
you point to your Son’s throne.
“Do what He says,” you tell each man,
“trust now in Christ alone.”
For mercy each you humbly ask;
two thrones are mercy seats.
In favor of your Son you bask,
from stable to His feet.
He’s now ascended, you assumed.
There someday all will be
With Eden’s Lily blue in bloom
and Blessed Trinity.
† TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS †
SEPTEMBER 14
THE TRUE CROSS
With Helena we look for your true wood,
For arms of cross held your formed human flesh
To bring to us your presence now to mesh
With us, that we may be where Mary stood
With grieving hearts, and yet with hearts that sing,
As you for us your Father’s work here do,
And in us, too, for we now die with you;
We reap the fruit of Mary’s ponderings.
We find you in your temple in three days;
Your Body raised for us, you lead all dead
To Father’s house as our exalted Head,
For, as you teach, you are the Truth, the Way.
May we with Mary ponder in our hearts
And know the fruit that true cross does impart.
† STS. MICHAEL, GABRIEL, AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS †
SEPTEMBER 29
ANGEL’S CALL
O Lord, am I just hearing things
or is it really you?
Do listen I to angels sing
with voices ever true?
I think I hear them calling me
to be the Lord’s handmaid.
Your truth seen through humility
to prideful hearts does fade.
Through quiet service let me know
through faith to understand
Your reason why you love us so
with sin throughout your land.
Now I see past that angel’s sword
to Eden’s garden pure,
A time when Adam, Eve said ” Lord”
to you, no Satan’s lure.
In us is buried your true good,
obscured by choice of sin.
I see again where Satan stood,
a snake with voice of men.
Now plunged we are in sin’s deep mire;
fell Eve for Satan’s guile.
Yet even though we now face pyre,
on us still Jesus smiles.
And through His smiling eyes, we see
your image in our souls–
Those humble persons we need be
in Mary’s handmaid role.
I’m certain I hear Gabriel’s call,
see Michael’s mighty sword.
With them and Raphael I fall
at your feet–call you Lord.
GOD’S MESSENGERS
I thought I knew all ways to know
the truth about our world;
Then messenger with wings did show
truth from above unfurled.
I’d trusted science for the true
epistemology;
By social science could construe
the world I want to be.
For in these ways I could control
my own and other’s fate.
These ways to know then took their toll–
made me the Devil’s bait.
I could not see with microscope
those virtues from the past–
Saw them the same as horoscope,
a lie that could not last.
And then I saw my baby girl
asleep with halo round;
That nursery room began to swirl
with what seemed silent sound.
Above that crib there then appeared
what I did least expect:
An angel, made me shake with fear–
this truth I can’t reject–
Spoke silent words within my heart,
saw God’s law writ within,
Awoke my conscience with a start,
convicted me of sin.
Remembered I some colored glass
in that old church’s nave
When, as a child, I went to Mass,
saw angel by a grave.
Remembered, too, an empty tomb:
“He’s risen, He’s not here;”
That angel in my baby’s room
was one who had been there.
At once that cherubim was gone!
I looked at my sweet child,
And now I know we’re not alone
as God upon us smiles.
For angel by the crib like one
who went to Nazareth
To tell a maid of God’s own Son,
came on His Spirit’s breath.
Since then as I’ve more deeply grown
in truth of Trinity,
I’ve learned of other ways to know;
a Baby set me free.
† GUARDIAN ANGELS †
OCTOBER 2
WHISPERED WORDS
When my heart’s eye on Christ I keep,
At times I will an angel hear
Wing by our earth from heaven deep
And say to me, “Now have no fear.”
His angels are our guardians
Who ride to earth on Spirit’s breath,
Protect us with the words Christ sends
When Satan tempts us to our death.
For Satan tries to hearts beguile,
Persuade us earth still paradise:
If we will follow Devil’s wiles,
We can ourselves to gods arise.
But paradise we forfeited
When we to Devil’s words paid heed.
That fallen angel to death led
The human race for whom Christ bleeds.
But now the angel’s whispered words
Remind me of what Jesus said:
That all who here will call Him “Lord”
Will rise with Him from Eden’s dead.
† ALL SAINTS DAY †
NOVEMBER 1
CLEANSING FIRE
Across the years, your Church is radiant
With your light, shines through lives of all your saints,
As rainbow colors over earth they paint–
That we no longer be somnambulant
In night of sin, our storms no more lament
But greet your dawn with hearts no longer faint;
For see we now in them there’s no sin’s taint,
Your saints for whom the veil is finally rent.
Come, Father, make each be as one of them
To in your mercy wear Son’s Bloody crown
And die our deaths on Calvary with Him
That we may wear your Church’s wedding gown,
Join tongues with theirs to sing with angel choirs–
At last are cleansed by Holy Spirit’s fire.
† ALL SOULS †
NOVEMBER 2
CLIMBING TO HUMILITY
We’ve raised a tower to the sky;
begin we to ascend
To try to raise ourselves on high–
to hell, instead, descend.
We cannot raise ourselves to God
and make ourselves like Him;
For when we tried, we fell down dead.
We died in mortal sin.
Then He descends on heaven’s rungs
with all His angels down.
His humble song we hear is sung
as He removes His crown.
He takes our hand and starts to climb
back up those heaven’s stairs,
A condescension so sublime
that shows how much He cares.
But our true up seems down to us;
we taste humility,
Surrender of our pride a must
if we are to be free.
So down that ladder’s rungs we step,
and we are climbing high.
Our eye on Him is always kept;
to heaven we draw nigh.
And now we hear the angels sing;
we all to Jesus bow
As loud hosannas round us ring–
we’re all in heaven now!
† ST. CECILIA, PATRON OF POETS AND MUSICIANS †
NOVEMBER 22
HEART SONG
Come, touch your wounded hands to my heart strings
That I may play to you my song of praise
While in me rises, on your Spirit’s wings,
That melody with you from your grave raised.
May St. Cecilia pray at your blessed feet,
As your song played through my heart reaches hers
And joins those songs of saints who with her greet
Their Lord with gold and frankincense and myrrh.
May heaven’s wisdom, through your risen grace,
Come in our hearts through poetry and song
And in us all the beat of sin erase
With praise of you, who ends our Babel’s wrong.
In us, play notes of glorious symphony,
And through our hearts set minds and bodies free.
PROCLAIMING TRUTH! 