Aquinas says of scripture that "the manner of its speech transcends every science, because in one and the same sentence, while it describes a fact, it reveals a mystery" [i] Thomas Aquinas (died 1274) [i] “Thomas Aquinas, Part 3: Scripture, Reason and the Being of God”. Tina Beattie. theguardian.com. {https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/feb/13/scripture-reason-god-thomas-aquinas } (accessed December 1, 2021). It always seems unfair that those who cry and fail and break receive the wanted item – I’ve seen it happen – while I, who say, “Even what is dearest you may take away,” gain strength to lose. I don’t think he meant it that way, but Christ said, “To those who have, it shall be given, and from those who don’t have, it shall be taken away.” [i] Would that my fortitude had a better attitude [i] Matthew 13:12-13, Jesus says – “To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’ ” Time to eat the Bitter Scroll, try to find it sweet Time to hear the curse unroll [i] across the purest feet Adversity, adversity – how to greet it how to praise it how to thank it how to “eat” it ! [ii] (2010s) [i] Ezekiel 2:9-10 – “It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me; in it was a written scroll. He unrolled it before me; it was covered with writing front and back. Written on it was: Lamentation, wailing, woe!” [ii] Ezekiel 3:3: – “Son of man, he said to me, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving you.” I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. Bring that cloak… [i] for I cross horizons far from the known my sense of mission only thing I own Except for that sturdy well-made cloak… so thick and strong against winds and soak as I go along When you come bring that small piece of hearth and world I knew, the cost not its worth, – and some news of home, too Christ chose us to send to the ends of the earth to deliver his word we are the first that his Body has heard I will find my Lord in every face and port and other cloaks a-plenty from every man and sort as I do work at tenting My old cloak will be lost my spirit spring unbent, when I reach the end and I will have spent all that I can spend (2000s) [i] 2 Timothy 4:13 – “When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments .…” The Dove is a nun, [i] small, thin, old, in habit, [ii] white face, and gray eyes searching from the lectern reading the Word. The Beloved is a congregation present and absent unsorted, excepted by pews an orderly scramble of minds and ears And the Song is a mystery hovering in the air as the Spirit sings to His Body, “Come to me, my beloved.” (2010s) [i] from the lectern reading the Word: – Song of Solomon 2:14: “My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, Let me see your face, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” [ii] “Religious Habit”. Wikipedia.org. {https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_habit} (accessed December 1, 2021). – “In Christian monastic orders the habit … may be a distinctive form of cassock for men, or a distinctive habit and veil for women.” Following, eyes upon you, Lord, a tear unseen drops before Eternity – worth departing’s hundred-fold reward [i] Lean down to gather, Lord my token in your bottle [ii] its safety – consolation till the last page is turned [iii] (2010s) [i] Matthew 19:29, Jesus says – “And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.” [ii] Psalm 56: 9 – “My wanderings you have noted; are my tears not stored in your flask, recorded in your book? ” [iii] Revelation 3:5 – “The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels.” Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... [i] As it never was is not now and never shall be – by my will and understanding The world since time began has followed out His plan We cannot say what Adam should have been and, ever since someone could do it, we could not stop one sin …. Where the stars come from what creatures roam the twists of man’s history are not acts we own All the impossible actuals of the world that we see and illogical facts that we would never let be – How could the One Body [ii] be broken apart? How could the human race war, heart to heart? If “from Every Thing comes good” what can we see in plans turned to nonsense that hurt you and me? How simple, how true, how great and how grand, if God only did what we wished and planned But, perhaps the All-Knowing sees what we can’t see – seeds of beginnings, fruit for eternity As it was in the beginning, is now and shall be ever Glory to God, eternally! (2010s) [i] “Gloria Patri”. Wikipedia. org. {https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Patri} {accessed December 1, 2021). – “ The Gloria Patri, also known as the Glory Be to the Father or, colloquially, the Glory Be, is a doxology, a short hymn of praise to God in various Christian liturgies.” [ii] “Church as the Mystical Body of Christ”. Saint Boniface Catholic Church, Faith Formation. stboniface-lunenburg.org. {https://stboniface-lunenburg.org/church-as-the-mystical-body-of-christ} (accessed December 1, 2021): “The Mystical Body of Christ is a scriptural image of the Church drawn from the teachings of Christ and Saint Paul that illustrates her unity in Christ, her relationship to him, and the interdependence of her members. ” (and following explanation) Most counts ascend in number because we see what we have or want to have We count our things, possessions, desires and plans, steps and materials, resources We set a goal, then plan our needs see if we can acquire and pay – reaching for less, if more is too high * - * - * Some few counts we make backwards, reducing, like seconds before the rocket flash, like months and weeks for dying, like ballast cast from sinking ship, think: sinful Jonah thrown overboard, or our own faults discarding – a new way to reach where less is better, sometimes again we waver back to more still shaving close the edge of possibility * - * - * Christ’s parables spoke of building a tower, counting higher planned materials for fear of failing after start [i] or king who raised his count of each side’s soldiers, to choose for battle action: struggle or entreat [ii] Christ illustrates his Way by pointing Up, but then says – for discipleship and following, [iii] Abandonment, like death, requires Count Down. (2010s) [i] Luke 14:28, Jesus says – “ Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?” [ii] Luke 14:31-32, Jesus continues – “ Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace.” [iii] Luke 14:33 – “In the same way, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” |
Poems by Janet
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von Gumppenberg | Meet me at the Passage |
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