The buzzing heat of summer rush The things that autumn brings The slushy flurried winter hush The singing of the thrush… In mirthful spring
The savor of the gravied bird The sweet of pies and tarts The belly laughs! The fervent words Through guarded clubs and spades... An exchange of hearts
The sacred love of bride and groom That faithful years increase That beckons all who watch it bloom To see, beyond the gloom The Wedding Feast
The twinkle of the sun-caught snow The flash of river riled Yet brighter still, the patient glow Of she who bears, or holds… A growing child
The One through Whom all gifts appear On shore, in seas or skies The beasts to plow and pets to cheer Each prize of grain or ear… The soil supplies
The Fount 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 As God He rose to blaze the trail Unstinging death, all wailing… To outsing
This One from Whom flows every gain Remains in hearts of prayer 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
One morn I donned my running shoes And scooted out to jog The sun was drilling hot and fierce To pierce the morning fog Mid run, a smiling lab burst out My route he jogged beside me I thought, “He’s friendly! God, I love You too!“
Next day, I drove and found a place (1) And raced its hilly trails I sailed by shrubs, round tow’ring oaks Evoking ancient tales Those leafy veils a Presence hid That rid my heart of sadness I said, “A perfect day! I love You too!”
A bird all decked in reddish brown Hard bounced a branch trapeze With ease, across a spring I sprang My bangs were brushed by trees Soon tuckered out from many miles A while I sat and snacked Refreshed, I prayed, “God, thanks! I love You too!”
Returned to car all sweaty; wished to leave So fished my pocket I caught no key! and thought, it likely Shot out as I rocketed Down forest trails! I knew this trial Had first passed through Love’s hands With trust, I begged, “God help! O Mary, pray!” (2)
As sun went down, I found an inn To sleep in (first, count sheep in) Next morn, I moseyed back to search As lurching clouds were weepin’ Retraced the muddy puddled path; at last I found that key Relieved, exhausted, drenched, I poured out praise
Reflecting on those hectic days I said to Him within: “The key to peace is, come what may Not fall to pieces; instead I’ll say ‘You’ll find a way! O God, I love you too!’”
***
(1) Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area, Waterford, MI
(2) I prayed St. Mother Teresa’s “emergency novena”- 9 Memorare prayers in a row
Lord let me let You LOVE me I give You my permission Allow me to return Your Gaze Of love without remission Erase my bleakish hope-erosion With sunny praise
Lord let me let You CHANGE me I send You my surrender Convert this heart of stone to flesh (1) Of coldness to combustion Combine Your Heart aflame with mine Entwine and mesh
Lord, let me let You USE me Of me, take full possession My eyes and mouth, my feet and hands My glances, words and actions Now wield as lances to defeat The serpent’s plans
Lord, let me let You QUENCH me My soul is parched and wearied (2) Your Living Water, pour nonstop (3) To sop those seeds You’ve buried Within that plot, we’ll walk and tend Your Kingdom crop
My science teacher sat me down at lunch and said with pride “I’ve spied how hard you’ve worked… You’ve struggled, really tried!” He shared he’d like to tutor me in things not taught in class I said, “I guess, but will it help me pass?”
He grinned and said, “Of course! Let’s start. For elders and for youth Two wings are sorely needed… To soar and fly to truth!
Like Beatrice, or Morpheus, I’ll try opening your eyes So listen well”, he mumbled, munching fries
“The Matter-only Vision says what’s seen is ALL that’s real The things that you can sense Or measure, test, or feel It holds that all that matters is the matter you can hold On the Matter-only Vision, are you sold?”
I mused, “So if I understand, on science this view is founded The only things that count Are things that can be counted The view that all that’s valuable is viewable by eyes! But in the face of many Faiths, this flies?”
My mentor chuckled, stating, “You have grasped the concept clearly There’s more, please hear me out But first, what is your query?” I said with caution, “I’m a Christian, but I trust in science Could both beliefs be somehow in alliance?”
He jumped up, spilled his tea and cried, “Of course! They’re best of friends! They complement each other On each, the truth depends! A lot of famous scientists were also faithful Christians Like Bacon, Llull and Ockham, all Franciscans!”
I paused and posed, “I guess they had a different kind of vision?”
He nodded, “Yes! Passed down through looooong tradition!”
“The Sacramental Vision says that while what’s seen is real The unseen is as well This view makes sense, I feel It holds what matters most is that which eyes cannot behold When the heart learns how to see, new worlds unfold!”
I realized then the sandwich in my hand I hadn’t bitten His words were oddly filling Such wonders left me smitten I stated, “This is deeper than your class, but no offense!” “I see”, he laughed and said, “it’s making sense!”
I thought, “I just can’t wait to tell my friends about this stuff!”
He drew a breath, sat down, and on he spieled…
“The spirit realm’s unseen, yet by the stuff of earth, revealed Things visible are symbols Unveiling what’s concealed That realm is, in a sense, more real than that which senses sense Is this all clear as mud, or too intense?”
I wagged my head, and spurred him on, my breath held in suspense
He plucked his glasses, pointing to a lens
“A Matter-only Lens examines galaxies or Mars, while A Sacramental Lens Sees past the sea of stars The former says that love is merely chemical reactions The latter, soul and body interactions”
“The former claims our bodies have no purpose but to thrill, while The latter, that they teach us Our purpose, and God’s Will The former has a scope confined to scopes and human tools The latter isn’t bound by physics’ rules!”
The bell then yanked my head from new and mind-expanding clouds “May we pick up here tomorrow” I begged, “as time allows?” He cried, “Of course! And bring a friend who might enjoy this topic!” “I will!” I said, “It’s made me less… myopic!”
That night in bed I pondered, head upon the pillow pressing The Matter-only Vision Is flatter, dull, depressing! It claims that when I die, so dies my “I”; then worms lay claim But the other Vision… sparks my heart aflame!
That wise old bird! He shoved me from the nest to spread both wings
Of science and of faith
To help me find fresh things
To let me scan the heights with eyes of head and eyes of heart
And see the hopeful sights new Vision brings!
*****
“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” -Pope St. John Paul II, Fides etc Ratio
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
“He kept calling them to what was primary by means of what was secondary, that is, through foreshadowings to the reality, through things of time to the things of eternity, through things of the flesh to the things of the spirit, through earthly things to the heavenly things.” -St Irenaeus, Against Heresies
O “Risen One”, I see you rising every spring anew Each season a rich sermon of the Hope that “springs eternal” (1) The snowdrops bursting through the snow proclaim the empty tomb (Rom. 1) To “bear much fruit”, I’ll live and die with You, a falling “kernal” (Jn. 12:24)
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You, “Great Creator”, in the lightning, quake and fire Yet knowing that Elijah heard You rather in the hush (1 Kgs 19:11) In every soaring, splashing, creeping creature I admire (Gen. 1) And mesa, forest, flashing peak, plateau, and jungle lush
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You as “The Light” in every lantern, star, and sunrise (Jn. 8:12) These guide and warm and banish brackish thoughts; unholy fears (Jn. 1:5) Your children You call “light” to fight the creeping darkness likewise (Mt. 5:14) Through mercy’s works that, to the hurting, makes Your Face appear
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You in all faces, fair or plain, and in the “least” (Mt. 25:40)
Especially the suffering, oppressed, unborn, and poor
To find You in each victim crushed by war, abuse, disease
To seek You in my hidden room; adore You more and more
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You, “Bridegroom of the Church”, when spouses love each other Their faithful, free and fruitful love reflects its holy Source (Eph. 5:32) Each marriage brings to mind Your vows to me, which none can smother “…til death”, and yet beyond! To love You not: life’s sole remorse
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You, “Father-Icon”, in all earthly dads and pastors (Jn. 14:9) Their gentleness, encouragement, correction, and direction Protection from the “father of lies” and sin’s untold disasters You father us through Godly men! Their care is Your affection
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You, “Healer”, as I pray for health in Jesus’ Name (Jn. 14:13) Foreseeing heaven’s healing of all tears and bitter illness (Rev. 21:4) Through doctors, nurses, therapists, Your healing touch we gain Through Christians laying healing hands; through sacraments; through stillness
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You “Jesus”, “God’s Salvation”, as my sin I fight (Mt. 1:21) When on Your Holy Name I call, Your strength could not come quicker (Phil. 4:13) And if I lose a skirmish, “absolution” sets me right Allowing me to hear You say “forgiven” through your vicar
“Rabbi, I want to see…”
To see You, “Bread of Life”, upon the altar-table spread (Jn. 6; Ps. 23) “Unbloody Sacrifice” and foretaste of the feast of heaven (Lk. 22:20) Your Blood and Body offered under forms of wine and bread Like potent “Lembas”, filling us with strength to be Your “leaven” (J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings; Mt. 13:33)
*****
(1) Alexander Pope
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
(A poem expressing my 30-day silent Ignatian Retreat experience at Broomtree Retreat Center in South Dakota)
Thank You Father,
For freaky frantic flies,
For multitudinous mucky moths,
For nasty noisy gnats,
And lest I forget,
For aromatically effective Off,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For great green grass,
For big burly hay-bales,
For dry dingy dirt,
And lest I forget,
For sundry satisfying showers,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For large luscious lunches,
For seriously succulent suppers,
For dreadfully delicious desserts,
And lest I forget,
For earnest eager exercise,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For massive mooing mammals,
For sweet sonorous songbirds,
For happy hyperactive hounds,
And lest I forget,
For really reticent retreatants,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For silent silvery sunsets,
For colorful coagulating clouds,
For toweringly tall trees,
And lest I forget,
For absence of electronic entertainment,
Thank You Father!
*
Thank You Father,
For refreshingly recollective Rosaries,
For spiritually scrumptious Scripture,
For heart-healthy Holy Hours,
And lest I forget,
For nearby kneeling neighbors,
Thank You Father!
Rhymes for the Rejoiceful 