Jesus never said Nor would He ever sneer “Get over it; just suck it up” But instead… He’ll catch and store each tear*
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 has not scoffed “How could you veer so badly?” “Just give up now; you’re off the track” Oh, pish posh… He’ll cheer and steer you gladly
The Word did not express Nor would He whatsoever “Your life’s a helpless, hopeless mess” So don’t stress... Give up on you, He’d never
This Doctor has not spoken Through Scripture or 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 you “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 you ***** *”You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle” (Psalm 56:8, ESV).
The spectrumed greens of summer lush Those oranges autumn brings The winter’s crystaled, flurried hush The singing of the thrush… In tendriled spring
The savor of the gravied bird The scent of pies and tarts The belly laughs of friends are heard The diamonds, clubs and spades... Exchange of hearts
The sacred love of bride and groom That faithful years increase Which beckons all who bask its bloom To glance, beyond the gloom The Wedding Feast
The twinkle of the virgin snow The flash of river riled Yet brighter still, the subtle glow Of she who bears, then holds… A bouncingchild
The Font of every good that’s found The Ground and thrill of truth Of beauty seen or heard, the Source Of love, the secret force… The spunk of youth
The One through Whom all gifts appear On shores, in seas or skies The beasts to plow and grapes to cheer Each prize of grain or ear… The soil supplies
This One by 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 those beyond the veil Great Zion’s gates to swing And then He rose to blaze the trail Unstinging death, all wailing… To outsing
This Phoenix-Lamb Who once was slain Remains in hearts prepared When time is ripe, He’ll reap His Reign Love’s embers to enflame… Love’s foe will flee and in its train… All manner 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
Note: “mirror” should be read with two syllables in this poem…
***
I dreamt I found that fabled mirror,peered within, and asked Vain questionings inspired by SnowWhite’s queen Yet afterwards, my self-exalting queries were at last All answered in a different kind of mirror
But first, my pride inquired of that dark glass…
“Mirror Mirror on the wall Who speaks fairest, do you think? Who’s the wisest one of all, the Sage about whom quills will spill much ink?”
“Who has beauty like a swan of White, or sunset in the West? Who is called the paragon of Light and truth and love and all the rest?”
Vain conceit conceived these words
Could anything deflate my puffed up chest?
I awoke and found a mirror Leatherbound, its leaves relieved my Mind of darkness growing ever drearer
Sage and Saint within reflect Heights of love; man’s worth afresh Pages inked with red connect the Heart to heaven’s Mirror built of flesh
Mirror of the Father’s care The Fairest One! God’s wisdom 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 transfigured ever since to womb
Be meek my soul; look deep inside That Mirror, see; reflect His rays! Direct those lost in dark of pride To-ward the humble Star Who shines the way
Who moonlights, too, as Path and Door… (1)
The Door that opens up to where He’s Sun
Where all the meek and pure of heart give 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? Could it Spot some fellow struggler? God,
May all the love with which I lift raise weight from someone’sshoulders
Where love is lifted… gifted it will be!
Does God look over me heart-tugged, or Shrug and overlook me? After Painting peacefully for months, my Masterpiece went up in flames! Was it not… All for Naught? Would You Frame it in your House? Lord,
Use every drop of love with which I brushed to brighten greying souls
Where love is traced… erased it cannot be!
All those persons sporting labcoats made my Sickness sadly worsen! I am Wond’ring if, in pain and fear, 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 will not be wasted!
I farmed my darndest; scrimped and scrounged But debts compounded with alarm I’m tempted to give up and cry that Life’s a fruitless chore! Is this living… Or slow 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 my wheat of offered pain
To plant in hearts that You claim as 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
(Inspired by the song, LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH, by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, see below for video)
***
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
Cake OR ice cream? Burger OR fries? Law OR freedom? Religion OR science? Happy OR holy? Wild OR wise? Blood and sweat and cryin’ OR Faith and prayerand God Reliance?
Love my neighbor OR my Lord? Coins have two sides; every size Save the poor OR the planet scorned? Serve wherever in disguise God mourns Or cries
Adore at Mass OR past closed doors? Confess to a priest OR in my mind? Pray at church OR bedroom floor? Not OR but AND to find The Lord Enshrined
Does heaven speak through verse OR pope? Transcendent OR descending near? Is God in man OR in the Host? The latter, most AND in both
To be
Revered
Not OR but AND! The Christ is close His ruses fade; His Face appears For in each lad or lass… distressed In the “least of these”… oppressed He’s often missably, in-explicably… In each slum… surreptitiously… And in each child… hug and kissably… Here
May I retell a winsome tale A pal named Floyd told me? “My days”, he claimed, “are seldom great” “But always good, you see!” He paused to wait
My doubt poured out, “You have no days Upset by Murphy’s Law?” Said Floyd, “I used to, but no more!” “Why not?” I probed in awe He took the floor
“For years I begged my Father, God To make me kind and wise To guide me in pursuit of Christ To splice our hearts, His fire To melt my ice”
“I lived a pleasant peasant life Of children, wife and farming One charming day I met a nun Whose sunny smile was warm Chock full of fun”
“Her sandaled feet and cloak of wool Were fully back with crud ‘Good day to you, good day!’ I cried Can’t lie; was clear as mud What she replied”
‘Oh, thank you sir, forwishing good But I cannot recall A single day that I’d call ill For Christians, after all Can love God’s Will!’
“Oh Sister, how ought Christians live? “Please share your thoughts!” I pleaded “You radiate such joy, I see Your peace seems undefeated How could that be?”
She said, ‘By willing what God wills Not one bad day can pass When meat runs out, I bless His Name Another chance to fast On beans or grain’
‘When persecuted for that Name His love I gladly reap (Mt. 5:12) He gives me His own Cross to share Partners finding wayward sheep With work and prayer!’
‘If slowed by sleet or snowy banks I thank Him for such beauties When asked to cook or scrub or spin I offer God these duties For all our sins’
‘You see, all things- yes, all– that come Flow first through loving Hands He changes bad to greatest good
How could you learn His plan? Remember this my friend:
Through loving prayer, and prayerful love, you would!’
“With tears I thanked her, heart a-tugged She hugged me; made her way Her swayful words remained within Since then, not one ‘bad day’ Must say, I’ve had!”
Then Floyd stepped toward the door, and grinned “Good day to you, my friend! Today, tomorrow, and ever more Good days that know no end!” Then he closed that door
Yet Floyd had flung another door Ajar in me to One Whose ‘Midas touch’ turns all to grace Whose Face is like the sun
God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose… Romans 8:28
Strict justice would require that God will provide relief to you who are sorely tried, as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels… -2 Thessalonians 1:6,7,10
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 Rabbi beckoned, “Let the little children come to me!” (1) Each mother gently nudged her tyke toward Him from her side The young ones – crawling, toddling, skipping – flocked to Him, carefree His arms, as would be later, opened wide
A toddler reached her eager arms in hope of a caress He gathered her as would a hen beneath a winged embrace She nestled, resting list’ning ear upon His whisp’ring chest Its steady beat repeated Love and Grace
A rowdy boy soaked up the peace that flowed from this new Face He plunged his sunburnt head within the Rabbi’s tassled shawl And sobbed, discovering such a love he’d never dreamed he’d taste In grieving his dear father’s tragic fall
A girl stood distant, downcast, feeling worthless and ashamed She could not trust this stranger, for her heart concealed a scar Longingly, she watched the care the other children claimed, while The Rabbi’s eyes went searching, near and far
Her look then locked with His! She froze and knew He knew her secrets, so She hid; He called her name and bid her join her younger peers She felt a surge of hope that purged her fears and soothed her deepest woe His eyes sent doves of peace! Soon ceased her tears
As she approached, He coaxed each step; His face was young and bright Its radiance burned away her shame and proved to her, her worth He pulled her in and told her, “You are precious in my sight” (2) Her scar was healed! This moment, her rebirth
Throughout the many moons that followed, each retold their story How Christ had held them tightly in His arms, and in His gaze And how such holding freed that girl, refurbishing her glory Inviting all to welcome that embrace
This Healer still repeats His plea, “Come unto Me” and rest (3) To restless ones whose guilt and pride give rise to hopeless pain “Unless you be converted and become like little children Youwill not enter into Heaven’s Reign” (4) *****
“A house divided ‘gainst itself Can’t stand” is said by many Who said it first? Abe Lincoln? Or That “President”… Whose “term” is neverending (Mt 12:25)
Big Arnold’s “I’ll be back!” is quoted Lots by funny guys And long ago, One promised that “They’ll kill Him; and In three days He will rise” (Mk 9:31)
“Son, with great pow’r comes great Responsibility” said Uncle Ben A paraphrase to Peter of “To whom is given much Is much required, then” (Lk 12:48)
“There’s no place like home!” was spoken By a girl with longing face Recalling wohopin’ “My Father’s Home Has many dwelling places” (Jn 14:2)
The title “greatest in the world” Is claimed by only some Augustus, Trajan, Genghis Kahn Yet once a Rabbi dared to claim “The world I’ve overcome” (Jn 16:33)
D’you think that quote, “to find yourself Is to lose yourself” sounds squalid? This Gandhi quote falls short of Christ’s: “Who’d lose their life For Me, will find it” solid (Mt 16:25)
That golden “Love your neighbor” phrase Has gotten massive cover Yet Christ commands a greater rule “As I’ve loved you So you must love each other” (Jn 13:34)
By many tongues His words resound Like, “Turn the other cheek” “No greater love”; “Be not afraid” “Ask and you’ll receive”…
Rhymes for the Rejoiceful 