| Poetry & Inspiration |
Familiar Face
A silken pedal resting upon a forgotten path
of dust and broken rock, its feeble skin blazing
with an inferno of thick purple and fluffy blue
thrusting out from its base
Did you see it?
The smell of the rain as it rolls down
heavy hair, past wide, damp eyes, and under
your nose, wreaking of the overwhelming aroma
of pure life itself
Did you catch it?
The first sweet melody of a frail little bird
after the cold, stifling storm, its angelic
tone echoes deep into the chasms of your soul,
into tender places kept under steadfast lock
Did you hear it?
Standing with a ridged rebellion in winter´s
squeezing grasp, your pale, exposed skin catches.
a little wayward breeze bearing with it a rouge warmth.
As it slides past it whispers foreboding tales of
a long awaited spring that melts the frost from chilled
eyes
Did you feel it?
If perchance you did, in this hall of shadows
then your eyes have seen his face, your nostrils
know his scent, your ears have heard his voice,
and your fingers have felt his cheek.
So how can this mind lie in a bed of sorrow-
and loneliness. when this body has dwelt with
him since the dawn.
-Anonymous Retreatent
of dust and broken rock, its feeble skin blazing
with an inferno of thick purple and fluffy blue
thrusting out from its base
Did you see it?
The smell of the rain as it rolls down
heavy hair, past wide, damp eyes, and under
your nose, wreaking of the overwhelming aroma
of pure life itself
Did you catch it?
The first sweet melody of a frail little bird
after the cold, stifling storm, its angelic
tone echoes deep into the chasms of your soul,
into tender places kept under steadfast lock
Did you hear it?
Standing with a ridged rebellion in winter´s
squeezing grasp, your pale, exposed skin catches.
a little wayward breeze bearing with it a rouge warmth.
As it slides past it whispers foreboding tales of
a long awaited spring that melts the frost from chilled
eyes
Did you feel it?
If perchance you did, in this hall of shadows
then your eyes have seen his face, your nostrils
know his scent, your ears have heard his voice,
and your fingers have felt his cheek.
So how can this mind lie in a bed of sorrow-
and loneliness. when this body has dwelt with
him since the dawn.
-Anonymous Retreatent
There are Horses Living in Clean Stables
Ay Bendito, Jesus. After being born one can hardly allow oneself to die for lack of
trying. One must keep fighting, facing whatever life brings. Most of the Haitians
have only one meal a day, and this often is sadly lacking in proteins. Beset by
oppression, people migrate to the cities and cross the boarder, looking for a better
life. There they find themselves a shack made of cardboard, tin, and abode. Lacking
in skills, workers lengthen the already considerable unemployment lines. Tired of
keeping at bay all the violence imposed on them by an unjust society, the children
prostitute themselves. In the end, everything deteriorates even one’s conscience.
When they sell their bodies it is not for pleasure. They are only obeying the
mandates of misery, which is never the best counselor.
Imagine, Jesus, there are horses living in clean
stables, well fed, having veterinarians to look
after their health, for whom triumph is easier
than for most human beings. On the other hand,
children are pierced by the rain and bitter cold
when all things are wet, molded and thread bare,
Jesus, if that is not enough, they made weak by
parasites, and lose all hope. Only their faith in
God provides them with stamina needed for
survival.
In the meantime, Lord, what will happen to us if we propose to take a stand with
them. To take the side of the poor is no easy thing. We are already tired of having
quoted to us your comment when you were visiting Simon’s house, ¨The poor you
will always have with you¨. (Matt. 26:11) There are two choices Either you are
entirely devoid of feeling, or you did not really mean what they want us to believe.
I wonder if what you meant to do was to repeat the commandment from
Deuteronomy: ¨for the poor will never cease out of the land, therefore I command
thee saying: thou shalt open thy hand wide unto they brother, to they poor, and to
the needy in thy land¨ (Deut. 15:11)
There is nothing wrong with having the poor in our midst. The thing that makes
no sense is that they should be exploited and that we should remain as if this had
nothing to do with us. There is no sense in having children die for lack of care.
That cannot have been your plan, because you have said that ¨theirs is the kingdom
of heaven¨. (mark 10:14)
Ay Bendito, Jesus. After being born one can hardly allow oneself to die for lack of
trying. One must keep fighting, facing whatever life brings. Most of the Haitians
have only one meal a day, and this often is sadly lacking in proteins. Beset by
oppression, people migrate to the cities and cross the boarder, looking for a better
life. There they find themselves a shack made of cardboard, tin, and abode. Lacking
in skills, workers lengthen the already considerable unemployment lines. Tired of
keeping at bay all the violence imposed on them by an unjust society, the children
prostitute themselves. In the end, everything deteriorates even one’s conscience.
When they sell their bodies it is not for pleasure. They are only obeying the
mandates of misery, which is never the best counselor.
Imagine, Jesus, there are horses living in clean
stables, well fed, having veterinarians to look
after their health, for whom triumph is easier
than for most human beings. On the other hand,
children are pierced by the rain and bitter cold
when all things are wet, molded and thread bare,
Jesus, if that is not enough, they made weak by
parasites, and lose all hope. Only their faith in
God provides them with stamina needed for
survival.
In the meantime, Lord, what will happen to us if we propose to take a stand with
them. To take the side of the poor is no easy thing. We are already tired of having
quoted to us your comment when you were visiting Simon’s house, ¨The poor you
will always have with you¨. (Matt. 26:11) There are two choices Either you are
entirely devoid of feeling, or you did not really mean what they want us to believe.
I wonder if what you meant to do was to repeat the commandment from
Deuteronomy: ¨for the poor will never cease out of the land, therefore I command
thee saying: thou shalt open thy hand wide unto they brother, to they poor, and to
the needy in thy land¨ (Deut. 15:11)
There is nothing wrong with having the poor in our midst. The thing that makes
no sense is that they should be exploited and that we should remain as if this had
nothing to do with us. There is no sense in having children die for lack of care.
That cannot have been your plan, because you have said that ¨theirs is the kingdom
of heaven¨. (mark 10:14)
| Prayer for World Peace Great God, who has told us “Vengeance is mine,” save us from ourselves, save us from the vengeance in our hearts and the acid in our souls. Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt, to punish as we have been punished, to terrorize as we have been terrorized. Give us the strength it takes to listen rather than to judge, to trust rather than to fear, to try again and again to make peace even when peace eludes us. We ask, O God, for the grace to be our best selves. We ask for the vision to be builders of the human community Rather than its destroyers. We ask for the humility as a people to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples. We ask for the love it takes to bequeath to the children of the world to come More than the failures of our own making. We ask for the heart it takes to care for all the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel As well as for ourselves. Give us the depth of soul, O God, to constrain our might, to resist the temptations of power, to refuse to attack the attackable, to understand that vengeance begets violence, and to bring peace – not war – wherever we go. |
At present many are struggling just to survive. We are not
talking about taking anything away from anyone. Just about
surviving. To defend life is a sacred duty. Whoever makes an
attempt against life acts against creation and cannot be your
disciple. Who ever does not take a stand is equally guilty in
promoting death. He is just as guilty of disobeying the divine
mandate: ¨Thou shalt not kill.¨
Jesus, help me to point out to the church the fatal error of
preaching an aloof gospel. Stay with me when I stay
away from you. Do not let me get weak when my palms get sweaty. Over the hills, the
mountains, down to the valleys, up and down, I continue as long as I have breath, always
trust in that we’ll see each other around, Lord, on the road.
Letters to Jesus
Juan Marcos Rivera
mountains, down to the valleys, up and down, I continue as long as I have breath, always
trust in that we’ll see each other around, Lord, on the road.
Letters to Jesus
Juan Marcos Rivera
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail."
-Isaiah 58:6-11
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail."
-Isaiah 58:6-11
| The Nobodies Who are not, but could be. Who don’t speak languages, but dialects. Who don’t have religions, but superstitions. Who don’t create art, but handicrafts. Who don’t have culture, but folklore. Who are not human beings, but human resources. Who do not have faces, but arms. Who do not have names, but numbers. Who do not appear in the history of the world, but in the police blotter of the local paper. The nobodies, who are not worth the bullet that kills them. ~Eduardo Galeano |
