Prove to your brother that he is worth loving Worth trekking those extra few miles for Prove to the stranger she’s “worth all the trouble” Of changing her tire with a smile for
Remove any doubt that you cherish your parents Prove you’re the greatest of fans And show all your friends they’re worth getting disrupted for Calendar plans interrupted for
Prove to that hater he’s worth your concern Worth giving your “shirt off your back” for Disprove the Great Lie that God’s Love must be earned By passing it to a detractor
Don’t move without letting the One Who loves most First boast your own worth in His eyes Bestowing His Mother, His Cross, and His Host (1) Which show that you’re “worth all the trouble” Of dying… as an outlaw And rising… with chutzpah Don’t stall… show your in-laws they’re lovable!
*****
(1) “…growth in the Christian life must be anchored to the Mystery of the Cross, to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic Banquet and to the Mother of the Redeemer and Mother of the Redeemed, the Virgin who makes her offering to God.” (CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS – DECREE ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY MOTHER OF THE CHURCH IN THE GENERAL ROMAN CALENDAR)
Go “break the conventions!” And “keep the commandments!” Rebel! against lawless Rebellions Rise up! by embracing Those laws that were God sent And meant to teach love To us hellions
Conform not! to copies So-called “nonconformists” Refusing to recognize Truth Their “group-think” defy! Become its reformist Decry! all who hard truths Eschew
Subvert! Take back morals! Out-quarrel the dictums Of the “free-love” sans love Revolution Its pills have us blue-pilled It reaps unplanned victims As weddingless sex sows Confusion
Campaign! for true “tolerance“ (That is, not intolerant Of people or viewpoints Displeasing) Displayed in Christ’s welcome Of earth’s full conglomerate Whose love is inclusive
I met an old man in the park’s dying light His eyes kind and bright; his hand waiting fast We shook as he asked, “If with you it’s all right “Wanna hear what I saw when I passed?”
“Last weekend, my heart quit, but soon my dear wife Restarted my ticker! She knows CPR Before coming to, I saw some queer sights You ain’t gonna reach by no car!
“Saw hell where the dress code ain’t meant for no prude But nudeness, they hollered, is never permitted All garb must be racy, risqué, or plain lewd Since modesty’s purely forbidden…”
“And next I saw heaven! Less strict than you’d guess All dress there must highlight one’s beauty with flair Its duty: to accent God’s Image the best Armani could never compare!”
“Hell’s speech code is clear, ain’t no way to refuse No courteous or cordial exchange is endured Just cursing and gossip and God’s name abused Complaining and slander and slurs…”
“But speech was plum peachy on those Golden Shores For never “is heard a discouraging word” All words are affirming; pure kindness outpours ‘Til goodness ‘n love are upstirred!”
My feelings evolved as I pictured such visions First shock… as I saw myself comfy in hell Then peace… as I vowed to make flightpath decisions Not caring ’bout oglers, I yelled…
“I’d best now get ready before the long rest Today, I will start! Gonna dress for success Gonna tame this ol’ tongue for that place to obtain Where each sight and each sound will impress!”
The old man said, “If you do, glory’s in store! May God keep our robes for the feast freshly laundered I’ll see you again once we’ve hopped through death’s door!” He waved and then onward he wandered
Plump raindrops soon soaked and awoke me from wonder Loud thunder arm-twisted my feet quick to burst Mid-sprint, I debated whose ways to live under
O Visa, I’m trusting in you You give me cold beer and hot pizza But Jesus, I promise, I’ll turn to you, too If ever I lose… My Visa
Lotsa Dollars; mucho Dough; plenty Bread Life is good! I’ve got bundles of Bacon But you Lord, I will not ignore, nor forget Once all other options… Are taken
Dear Moolah, you’re truly the best I’m merry when making those Monies But also, O Jesus, I have to confess You’re nice when you send me… Warm fuzzies
Dear Cash, they call you the “king” Cah-ching! Prestige and raw power Should life ever crash or go sour or sting On Christ, I would call…
I dreamt I awoke in a luminous place The King incandescent on Seraphim chair He stated, “I’m grateful you’vechanneled my grace My Kingdom for you is prepared!
“For when I was famished, you fed me a plate All parched, you poured me a glass Unknown yet you welcomed me ever so late In rags, you bought me new slacks Lacking in health, you gave all for my healing And reeling in jail, you reached out!”
I asked Him, while basking in love without measure “Sir, wherein and wherefore for you did I care? Just when did I see you and whereby observe you? And whithersoever’d I serve you?”
“So first I’d be grateful to know…
“When did I see You unfed; undernourished?”
With flourishing smile, He said
“You’d lift me with gift cards for famishing families And snacks for panhandlers you’d hand from your car With cases of canned goods you’d cart to those pantries And funding you’d send near and far”
“And when did I see You unquenched or unsated?”
He flashed a great smile, and mentioned
“My thirst you subverted with milk for your young And beer for your spouse while he cleaned out the stables With drinks poured at fish fry’s for heroes unsung And warm-ups while waiting on tables”
“Just when did I see You unhailed or unknown?”
Tearing up on His throne, He regaled
“When aiding the migrants, the pre-born, the trafficked The desperate refugees spared from near death Supporting hurt vets, you disabled my sadness Your foster care freed me from meth”
“Sir, when did I serve You unclothed or unwarm?”
With zeal like a storm, He disclosed
“By purchasing work boots your friend couldn’t afford Crocheting bright hats for those neighbors in need By skipping the booze to give more to the poor And serving at S.V.D.P.” *
“So, when did I see You uncared for; unwell?”
And swelling with joy, He declared,
“Distressed with dementia, you’d answer my queries Over and over and over again When sick, you would visit; we watched that fun series Post-relapse, my sponsor and friend”
I pleaded, “Oh King, I have just one more plea
“When did I see You unfree, stuck in jail?”
Eyes streaming, to his tale I took heed
“When thrown in the clink, you assailed me with visits Enduring for love endless forms; safety quizzes The darkness was snuffed by the faith you awakened Your calls made me feel unforsaken”
Before I woke up, I spoke upone last time
“You’ve told me the ‘when’, Sir, but how ’bout the ‘how’?”
“Just how was I able to see You unfed? Unquenched and unsated? Unknown and unhailed? And how could I notice you naked; unwarm? Unwell and unfree, stuck in jail?”
Undignified-like, the King sprang to His feet
And sang with elation, arms widening
“Your time in My Word
With silent reflection
And tales of my servants
Brought strength and direction
“The ‘breaking of bread’ drew your eyes to My Host Exposing my face in each soul Your goal was to gladden my other selves most Your love made my broken hearts whole
“So enter My Kingdom made ready Already, within you, it’s bursting Long ago, you made room Your own gloom reversing Rehearsing for living and loving, post-hearse
In My
Last-are-first
Lost-then-found
Least-of-these
Upside-down Kingdom” ** *****
Matthew 25:31 (NIV) “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’”
*St. Vincent de Paul Society
**Matthew 21:31: “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.”
NB. Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen said that at the judgment before our Lord we will be disappointed with ourselves but also surprised at how much we have loved Him!
In the strokes of these rough stanzas A mysterious face is painted Some Bonanza star beloved? Or Some lunatic, now sainted?
A winner of the Nobel Prize? A man you’d hope, and cry, to meet? A myth whose magic never dies? A legend whispered in the street? Or theOne whose mocked, so-seemed defeat… Unlocked the skies?
The “Man”…
A so-called “prophet” with thegoal Of bringing princedoms peace? Or… The “Prince of Peace”; the end and goal Of every prophet’s call?
A “judge not” kind of man who preached That mercy is the way? Or… The Way to God’s great mercy, and Of every man, the Judge?
A nice guy flaunting Roman rule Who failed to get his point across? (Yet…. The bloodied cross and nail–point cruel Weren’t Rome’s rewards to “nice guys”)
The “Myth”…
A myth fulfilling Marxist fears As “opium of the masses”? Or… The Master of all hopes and fears Fulfilling ancient myths? (3)
Is “Christ” a cry for wounded flesh? For mess-up’s, a mere curse word? Or… The Word-made-curse to save us by His fleshwounds and His cries? (1)
The “Legend”…
A lie and ploy of early Jews To gain a name and glory? Or… The glorious Name for love of Whom Those Jews, with joy, would die? (2)
A teacher on man’s life and death Who gleaned surprising truths? Or… The Truth, Whose death-to-life surprise Redeems, revives and teaches?
A would-be king reflecting love And light, like countless others? Or… An otherworldly “Kindly Light” (4) And King of love, Whose subjectsnow Reveal… Expand… And reflect… God’s here-but-not-yet Kingdom? ***** (1) St. Paul: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13)
(2) St. Leo the Great: “‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ Is it possible to offer, or even to imagine, a purer kind of prayer than that which shows mercy to one’s torturers by making intercession for them? It was thanks to this kind of prayer that the frenzied persecutors who shed the blood of our Redeemer drank it afterward in faith and proclaimed him to be the Son of God.” (From the Moral Reflections on Job)
CS Lewis: “Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened: and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God’s myth where the others are men’s myths: i.e. the Pagan stories are God expressing Himself through the minds of poets, using such images as He found there, while Christianity is God expressing Himself through what we call ‘real things’. Therefore it is true, not in the sense of being a ‘description’ of God (that no finite mind could take in) but in the sense of being the way in which God chooses to (or can) appear to our faculties. The ‘doctrines’ we get out of the true myth are of course less true: they are the translations into our concepts and ideas of that which God has already expressed in a language more adequate, namely the actual incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Does this amount to a belief in Christianity? At any rate I am now certain (a) That this Christian story is to be approached, in a sense, as I approach other myths. (b) That it is the most important and full of meaning. I am also nearly certain that it really happened….” (letter to Arthur Greeves: from The Kilns [on his conversion to Christianity], 18 October 1931)
Painting: Our Lady of the Southern Cross by Paul Newton
Jesus never said Nor will He ever sneer “Get over it! Just suck it up! But instead… He’ll catch and keep each tear*
The Word did not express Nor will He whatsoever “Your life’s a helpless, hopeless mess” So do not stress… Give up on you, He’ll never
This Captain never sighed “You’ve missed the boat again…” “You’ve really dropped the ball this time” Nope, rewind… Fresh starts, He’ll ever send
This Shepherd not once scoffed “How could you veer so badly?” “Just give up now; the track, you’re off” Oh, pish posh… He’ll guide and cheer you gladly
This Doctor has not spoken Through Scripture nor Tradition “You’re past repair; you’re just too broken” By the same token… Your wholeness: His whole mission
The Savior did not state Nor ever will He tell us “Your guilt’s too great to be erased” Or “God helps those who help themselves”** Or “You will get what you deserve” Au contraire… From every shameful slav’ry, He’ll unsell us ***** *”You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle” (Psalm 56:8, ESV).
The buzzing heat of summer plush The things that autumn brings The slushy flurried winter hush The singing of the thrush… In rushing spring
The savor of the gravied bird The waft of pies and tarts The belly laughs! The fervent words And grins past clubs and spades... Exchange of hearts
The sacred love of bride and groom That faithful years increase That beckons all who watch it bloom To glance, beyond the gloom The Wedding Feast
The twinkle of the virgin snow The flash of river riled Yet brighter still, the patient glow Of she who bears or holds… A bouncingchild
The One through Whom all gifts appear On shore, in seas or skies The beasts to plow and vine to cheer Each prize of grain or ear… The soil supplies
The Font of every good that’s found The Ground and goal of truth Of beauty seen, the secret Source Of love, the hidden force… The spunk of youth
This One through Whom all men were made Would not endure their doom As man He died (a Trojan raid) Consumed by hate and laid… In greedy tomb
He dove to souls beyond the veil Great Zion’s gates to swing And then He rose to blaze the trail Unstinging death, all wailing… To outsing
This One from Whom flows every gain Remains in hearts prepared When time is ripe, He’ll reap His Reign Love’s embers to enflame… As evil flees, with coattails… Of despair
*****
“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” -Romans 11:36
“There we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness of your glory, when you will wipe away every tear from our eyes. For seeing you, our God, as you are, we shall be like you for all the ages and praise you without end, through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.” -Eucharistic Prayer III
I dreamt I found that famous mirror, peered within, and asked Strange words that echoed Snow White’s fearsome Queen But later, all my self-exalting queries were at last All answered in a different sort of glass
And so, I questioned boldly in my dream:
“Mirror Mirror on the wall Who’s the fairest ever seen? Who’s the end-all prototype, the Face about whom folks will write in reams?”
“Who’s more lovely than a swan of White, or Sunset in the West? Who’s the greatest Paragon of Light and truth and love and all the rest?”
Vain conceit brought forth this screed Then I found a humbler mirror Leatherbound, its leaves relieved this Victim of a darkness growing drearer
Sage and saint therein reflect Heights of love; man’s deepest worth Pages inked with red connect one’s Eyes to heaven’s Mirror framed of earth
Mirror of the Father’s care Fairer words were never spoken Mirror of man’s calling, when He Gives His very Self in Bread that’s broken
Mirror marched up skullish mount Fount of healing; cracked and scorned Mirror tarnished, on a beam Gleaming love through hatred humbly borne
Mirror shattered; hope betrayed? Shards of splendor in a tomb Soon exhumed; the glass remade! The Grave, thereby transfigured since, to womb
Be meek my soul; look deep inside That Mirror, see! Reflect His rays! Direct those lost in dark of pride Toward the Humble Star Who shines the way
Who moonlights, too, as Path and Door… (1)
To where He’s Sun, those radiant shores of light and song-soaked praise (2)
When eating light and heaving weights, my Waistline barely balks! Does the Lord ignore my efforts? All my Push-ups, squats and walks? Did my sweat… All mean squat? Might it Spot some fellow struggler? God,
May all the love with which I lift raise weight from someone’sshoulders
Where love is lifted… regifted it will be!
Does God look over me heart-tugged, or Shrug and overlook me? After Painting prayerfully for months, my Masterpiece went up in flames! Was it not… All for Naught? Or was it Framed in heaven above? Lord,
Use every drop of love with which I brushed to brighten some grey souls
Where love is traced… erased it cannot be!
In my sickness, which those persons sporting Lab coats sadly worsened, I am Wond’ring if, in darkness drear, God Hears my cries; my cursin’? Could my reeling… Spread some healing? Lord,
With love I trade this suff’ring for the grace You’ll bring to others
If laced with love… these aches won’t wasted be!
I farmed my darndest; scrimped and scrounged But debts compounded all the more I’m tempted to give up and cry that Life’s a fruitless chore! Is this living… Or mere dying?
I recall that, “labor in the Lordisnot in vain”; so on, I’ll go (1)
Where love is sown… it’s grown a hundredfold!
Lord, thresh new grains of hope from out the wheat of offered pain
To plant in those You hold and claim Your own
***
(1) “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”-1 Corinthians 15:58
“For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do” -Hebrews 6:10
“I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship” -Romans 12:1
Let there be PEACE on the earth And let it begin with Yours Truly For Peace ever springs From the dreams which I dare When the Prince cares to cherish and rule me
Let there be JOY on the earth And let it begin with me now My angst is corrupted By a faith, fresh-erupted As I let Zion shine on my brow
Let there be MERCY on earth And let it disperse from me first Since I’ve been forgiven I have seventy-fold striven, to Pay it forward, for that Reign to rehearse
Let there be FIRE on the earth And let me be kindling consumed God’s Love is a spark; Every quark it has scorched By the torch of that Arsonist untombed
***
(inspired by the song, LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH, by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson
Cake OR ice cream? Burger OR fries? Law OR freedom? Faith OR science? Happy OR holy? Wild OR wise? Blood+sweat+tears OR Faith and prayer Reliance?
Adore at Mass OR past closed doors? Confess to priest OR deep within? The Word at church OR bedroom floor? Not OR but AND, to win The Lord Therein
Love my neighbor OR my Lord? Coins have ever hugging sides Save the poor OR the unborn? Serve wherever in disguise God mourns Or cries
Christ OR Mary? Who’ll suffice? The knot the Eden pair tied taught The NEW pair, sinless, would unsplice This King and Queen, our spot Of vice Out-blot
Daughter of the Father OR Mother of His Son? Virgin Most Chaste OR Spirit’s dear Bride? Crushing snakes OR Victory won? Normal girl OR spared From sin And pride?
Is God now heard through Verse OR Pope? Transcendent OR descending near? Is God in us OR in the Host? The latter, most OR in both
To be
Revered?
Not OR but AND! He’s standing close His ruses fade; His Face appears For in each lad or lass… distressed And in the “least of these”… oppressed He’s often missably, in-explicably… In each slum… surreptitiously… In each child… hug and kissably… Here
Rhymes for the Rejoiceful 