first question

first question

and what of God today
and
dare I ask
in that
God is all in all
our totality
by
in creation
and salvation that we hope
to own
enough for admission
or is that confession
with our faith
maybe
(an Amish hope)
enough
for admission
to God’s heaven
as
the angels’
and in
part
perhaps our own

c l couch

photo by Jac Alexandru on Unsplash


gospel according to Douglas

what is the loving thing
to do
what my evangelist friend
would say
as a good question
annoying question
sometimes
even daunting
when we
want
the unloving thing
to do

because we’re jealous
or frankly covetous
wanting something we have turned
into an object
(or an object)
or
(with regard to envy)
we want something
or else
in someone else
to go away

none of this
is loving
not even of
oneself
that does not need the plans
and then the consequences
of success
in those

an ersatz love
a bent love
to be honest
if honesty
be first casualty
in twisting
the better parts
in what we want

what is the loving thing
to do
not weighed
down
except in service
though there's rest
that is
the sleep
comes after
for the day
for the life

c l couch


(Douglas was an evangelist friend of mine who consistently said to ask, and act, on that as the first question or the one to which we might repentantly arrive, later)

photo by Melanie Lim on Unsplash 
Food distribution in a pandemic.
published on December 28, 2020