A Christmas Season Message
(anytime)

So once it’s proclaimed
That
God loves you
And a presumption
God loves
Me
Then
We might consider
For ourselves and the world

God loves us

It’s not an easy love
Because the world
Isn’t easy
Rather
Selfish
And destructive

You know this

And the presence of God
Is not made so visible
Or at all
Though there are stories

And what does
This love
Mean
To ask catechistically

Well
It’s the strongest fragile going
Because the world and the devil
Seem
To have their ruinous say

And rule over
Temptations
Ready to wreck us
When we’re turned
Ignoring
Keep from us notions of
Redemption
With reconciliation
Back
Into the body of believers

And so much
Too much
Is hidden in the world
Like treasures found
In mines
As well as ancient
Tombs
That were new once in grief
And now perhaps
Remembrance

Truth hides too easily
Secrets used
To cover truths
Of course

And there’s a pushing under of
Open justice
That restores
By a greater interest
In control of
Rules
And closed-over until-
Declared
Tyranny

Meaning
Sinful attitudes and strategies
Allowed
Through good things bent
Too often by
Prosperity
And punishment

Which warps the understanding of
What’s fair and
Openly
Respectful
In favor of shaded interest

And is this real
Well
All of it must be
Making
Sad sense out of what
Explains
The way things are

And love is hard in this
And some would say impossible
As a human
Reaction
Understood

While love itself might go
Underground
Deeper than the superficial world
Knows

Love might have to hide
Rising when it’s risky
But
To seal the deal on planet Earth
And who knows where else
That better
Vows
Mean something
And we must take the chance to say
And sometimes write so
And say so
From a podium
Until repudiation of such public love with
Podium
And church or temple
Fired by hate
With worldly agendas behind
‘Til what is good
To hear
To bring us together
Is then ashes

Love is strong
Even when assailed
And it shall
Last beyond
But
Oh
It
Takes a beating now and then
Or all the time
Depending on who’s
Or what’s
In charge

But love regardless

God’s behind it and in front
And is invisible
Irascibly
It seems
Even to allow great danger to
Adherents

But love is
Called for
Anyway
And we should love
Each other even more visible than
God
‘Til God more obviously shows

Keeping the understanding
Learning
And the living that
As we might
Know
Singly and together

God loves us

C L Couch


(for its own lectern maybe, serving a sermon or another kind of message in a hall or other place or kind of gathering)

Photo by virkelighet on Unsplash