(Inspired by the song, LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH, by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, see below for video)
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Let there be JOY on the earth And let it “Big Bang” in me now My angst is eroded By faith fresh-exploded As Zion’s joy shines from my brow
Let there be PEACE on the earth And let it begin with Yours Truly But first, I’ll receive it Since God must conceive it In hearts that will plead for it duly
Let there be MERCY on earth And let it disperse from me first Since I’ve been forgiven I’ve seventy-fold striven to Relay it, God’sReign to rehearse
Let there be FIRE on the earth And let me be kindling consumed God’s Love is a spark Each quark it has scorched From that Arsonist‘s Heart, since exhumed
Sprawled out on grass, my pal and I stared skyward, analyzing Snugly dandwiched ‘tween the green and blue The impish clouds performed their acrobatics, mesmerizing I pointed up, “A Horse! I mean, a shoe!”
When ended that, up sat my friend and asked, “Will heaven be boring?” Tried keeping calm, but couldn’t, not one bit My inner eyes had pierced the skies to realms of light outpouring Therefrom, the unseen rays my face up lit
“Will heaven be boring?” he stated again Elated, I grinned, “Um, yes! That is, if..
“Not bland or monotonous?” he cautiously blustered Smiling, I mustered, “No way! Unless…
“Michelin” dining; “Grand vin” wining Story sharing; laughing; caring Friendship making, gift exchanging, etc….
Are monotonous!”
“Won’t it be passively static?” he asked Ecstatic, I laughed, then cried, “O no, if…
Kingdom-building; brick road-gilding
Thanking, praising, Love-embracing
For the hellbound, interceding, etc.…
Are not passive!”
“We’ll never feel badly or lonely, I reckon!” “Heck no!” I said gladly, “with umpteen new friends, like… Eve and Adam, garden-tending Noah, bird and boa-nesting Sarah, heavenly hostess-training Jacob, coaching angel-wrestling Paul and Peter, stories; teaching Forbears, Saints and angel fleets Loved ones saved by grace outreaching
She whose prayer all snares defeat Mother, Queen; with care she’ll mind us
Last to mention (but not least) The One, Who’ll from our tears, unblind us…”
“You see, my friend? All loneliness and pain unseen– O Glory Be!-
Will be…
… deceased!”
We started hiking; neither heard the striking Parson’s bell Well lost in thought of celestial locales Is Larson’s “Far Side” heaven just as silly as Larson’s hell? (1) Heav’ns Yes! We’d glimpsed a Glory plain unboring
We’d felt a good despair that earthbound hopes could quell that pain That ache which points toward a higher story We’ll claim that tale in tandem since unclouded hope is gained By boldly looking heavenward… …As pals
Sts. Louis and Zelie, parents of St. Therese, the “Little Flower”
What if I hinted that someone is smitten? Head over heels Who loves without quittin’ Who cares for you more than a kid for her kitten Just hopelessly smitten with you
What if I mentioned you’re now on His mind? Not every so often But all of the time With eyes for you only! Since you He designed And loved, before earth was unearthed
What if I stuttered that by you He’s lovestruck? Afire with affection And for you, was nailstruck A Soulmate; a friend; not just any ol’ schmuck Whose stricken heart quickens for you
What if this someone is just a bit nutty? “Pazzo d’amore” (1) (Crazy with love) He’d give life and limb for you, push came to shove In fact, so He did! Long ago
What if I said that this Friend is besotted? “Drunk” with devotion (1) “Cross-eyed”, He fought Through death, He unblotted our sin-spotted souls Through love, hardened hearts He will conquer
What if I blustered, “This Bridegroom has named you…” “His ‘Chosen’ and ‘Crown’… (2) “His ‘Own’ He has claimed you”?
In silence He summons you, calling your name
To prep you for the “when” He will send
When the winter and rains of this valley will end (3)
Every hour to His side He bids, Come (4)
On a cross I was smitten…
With you, and for you
My spouse
My beloved
My friend
***** (1) St. Catherine of Siena: “You, high eternal Trinity, acted as if You were drunk with love [pazzo d’amore], infatuated with Your creature.. You, Sweetness itself, stooped to join Yourself with our bitterness. You, Splendor, joined Yourself with darkness; You, Wisdom with foolishness; You, Life with death; You, the Infinite, with us who are finite. What drove you to this?”
(2) Old Testament
(3) Song of Songs (Solomon) 2:11
(4) John 7:37; Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price”
True prayer is desire A longing, a yearning A stoking of fire That purges and brands without burning
A sigh– to unsmother A cry– soaked in hope A glance– at the Lover Who with every soul, would elope
Before prayer begins The Stag has been leaping (2) Across peaks within To trade His own joy for our weeping
Prayer answers that thirst Our heartaches make known Yet God has it worse Prayer mergesHisthirst with our own (1)
To pray is to dine On “meat” and “wine blended”- (2.5) The “choicest of wine”- (3) Our drought and our famine upended
To hand off what harms To slough off dismay To sink into Arms That mold to His image this clay (3.5)
The soul’s transformation A bath in love’s Flame Sweet divinization The Bridegroom’s new life free fromshame
When things go as planned Or couldn’t have gone worse (4) When life’s “fine and dand” Or soon to be hailing a hearse
When warmed by the sun Or while the flakes fly When the fight’s lost or won When “Thanks” is the only reply
Where silence is falling And list’ning unfettered Where no voice is calling But HIS Voice, within, or red-lettered
In bedrooms or churches On hikes to the peak In the bus as it lurches There‘s no place where one cannot seek…
And be found…
Bythe OneWho, for love, ever searches
*****
(1) Catechism of the Catholic Church #2560
(2) Song of Songs 2:9
(2.5) Proverbs 9:2
(3) Psalm 127
(3.5) Isaiah
(4) “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances” -1 Thessalonians 5:18
(5) Zephaniah 3
“I assure you that God is much better than you believe. He is content with a glance, a sigh of love.” “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”-St. Therese of Lisieux
“Labour, therefore, to increase the fire of your desire, and let not a moment pass without crying to Me with humble voice, or without continual prayers before Me for your neighbours.’-God to St. Catherine of Siena, from the Dialogue
My Grandpa Richard and Grandma Martha. May they rest in peace and rise in glory!
From grandpa’s doting, twinkling gaze, Your hope-rays flashed and scattered In those crinkles by his eyes, Your smile I saw When embracing that new niece at Christmas, soon I saw Your starlit face Felt grateful for this grace Soaked with awe
Through mother’s firm massage, You out-caressed my heart’s distresses In my mess, my father’s patience showed Your own When a work friend called to check on me, I shared too much to mention Knew his, and Your, attention Deeply known
The mailman’s warm and playful greeting voiced Your joyful tenor In that nurse’s tender words Your Heart resounded Through a note from an old friend, Your love flowed strong and gently gripped me From dread and doubt it stripped me Joy compounded
The beauty of the dancer’s form displayed Your subtle splendor As she rendered Swan Lakes’ hops, Your thrill I sensed When the doctor cheered my child with special needs, I caught Your caring Infecting my despairing Peace commenced
*****
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
“My beloved stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice” Song of Songs 2
The lasting gifts our Father brings Ain’t “mockingbirds” or “diamond rings” Not “looking glasses” “Billy goats” (1) Or heavy sacks of crisp new notes
Ain’t giant boxes wrapped in strings No, it’s a seed that sprouts fresh things Its fruits can rescue Drowning hearts By drawing them to Peter’s Barque
The fruit of FAITH, which gives one wings And that of HOPE for living springs What is this seed? God’s Word, well told To “bear much fruit”, a hundred fold
Its greatest fruit, the spark of LOVE For friends, for foes, for heav’n above There is no good This fruit won’t bring For all who lean upon its King ***** (1) Hush Little Baby, by Mother Goose
Rhymes for the Rejoiceful 