playing favorites
in the ninth chapter
my favorite Bible story
when the parent
comes to Jesus
for
the child who needs healing
who is thrown by fits
into fire
such an extreme for healing to
which Jesus
says
believe and the child be renewed
to
which the parents
must reply
I believe
and help my unbelief
the formula presented
yet
before Jesus especially
even to doubt
but must
be honest
and the response from Jesus is
that
the child is healed
not that epileptics must be healed
though sick children
from whatever
reason
should be
and for all we are and all we aren’t
we have to open all our hopes
and fears
before the Lord
versing
my second favorite
is a cluster of
verses
from the Psalms about a third through
the verses about
creating a clean hearts
a heart that
is in me
by God
by God
in fact
to renew
as has been made
create in me a clean heart
O God
and renew a right spirit with me
and
cast me not away from they presence
and take not
thy holy spirit
from
me
again
an honest plea
for healing of the self
I guess
even to be close ‘mid all the snares
outside the circle
working in
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(for the series, from Mark 9 and Psalm 51)
photo by David Trinks on Unsplash
any day to represent the world
for Imbolc and Saint Brigid
the Irish in me skimmed the day
for appreciation
drafted a brief
verse
then thought
there is
so much more
how about the circles
the circle of faith
and
following
with Brigid
the ancient feeling
old
pleas for growth and life by
spring
that is Imbolc
the events with
character
personae
to match the green and orange
the art
the music
violin and
dance
and all the troubles
punishment
endurance over
being
free
and I don’t know what happens
with the north
except
warring should end with
peace waged through economy
human strategy
and
the belief that each one matters on
the land
circle of
faith
circle that is the Earth
that is the spirit that contains
each one of
us
our systems ‘round as circulation
circle that moves
as circles should move
even
to link with others
so
that here
Imbolc and Brigid’s day
should join
at least
to Venn
then the circle that is Europe
then a hemisphere and hemisphere
round quarters
come together
so
much that comes together
we are part of
and so
to have humanity
and I would add not meaning to alienate
but
it gets added generally
that all of us should happen
be complete
all points
and arcs
under God
or at Patrick should claim
God every preposition
every direction
for us
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photo by Patrick Metzdorf on Unsplash
allowance
who is allowed
who gives
and
who may receive
what do we talk about
possession
salvation
and
who owns
salvation if anyone should own
God owns it
I
suppose
manages the process
certainly
provides all parts of God
needed
creates everything
places
us
then there’s a full beginning
affirming rest as
well
then somehow a serpent is allowed
if we intertwine the stories
then we know
of
the rebellion and the war in heaven
with casualties if not killed
yet fallen
then to
take it out on us
and
we fall as well
not
killed and yet spiritually
as good as gone until the parts of God
come
to the Earth
to teach
and offer to save
one part creates
the other comes and then
the other
the third part closer than ever
indwelling
in fact
by
invitation
strange invitation that both must offer
and accept
then
all things work together
that
are good
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Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
(KJV)
photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash
those who ever said I could have
if I had been
better
meaning better
in talent
sure
there’s also the spirit
not in
if God let
me
but if God had kept this from happening
the thing
or
things that limited
worse that
might
have required me
to sin
or
to choose virtue
sometimes either’s
limiting
sin
circumstance
situation ethics
or
lack of worldly repentance
on Earth
or in ourselves
I coulda’been
but
aren’t we all
contenders
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photo by Moo on Unsplash
bless the wild
better than
form
is the love you place on wild things
blessing
these with
spirit and adventure
to
let them go
while under care
to dance and run and
love
in all the untame ways
that were
created
then released
while forms are fine for form
but
let the lightning-forces go
never the same
to strike
even with danger in
the magic
risks
in release
but how does freedom that you show
go in any other way
so model this
and
everything outside broken cages
as
the bars are devil’s interest
and love is as roarious
as you
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photo by wallace Henry on Unsplash
better news
1
better news
that God loves us
and sent
the child of God
to
live and innocent and perfect life
and then to be
killed
by the powers of the world
and the princes of the air
and
yet not have that be done
be it
and there is so much
more
because the child came back
up to Earth
if that was the direction
out
to all
to offer the child’s resurrection
from death to life
to a life for each of
us
and life that goes on
forever
finally
on a renewed Earth
beside or somewhere near
or in
a new heaven
and that’s our job
believe
2
feeling Christian
this morning
or
recalling who I am
and
that God sent God through
the Spirit of the Lord
so that
not only this
sect
but the whole world of us
might
believe and so be saved
from death
and
for this day and
the next and
on
be saved from sin as well
the whole word
John 3:17
remember to share it this way
a gospel for everyone
3
and will
we guess at
for
fun or profit
or in what we might
take
as the conquest of space
whether or not
Jesus
came to Mars
on comets
inside asteroids
and
shall Christ be there
awaiting lunar Artemis
as we
begin again
which is all right
‘cause Jesus has saved Mars
comets and asteroids and
first for us
the moon
for
the silent planet speaks again
and all that happened
here
to revive and fallen
pick us up so we
might
carry on again
miracle
new song
and our own arriving
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C. S. Lewis posits a cosmically quiet Earth and us in Out of the Silent Planet
photo by Petri Haanpää on Unsplash
peregrine
another poem about breathing
breathe on me
breath
of God
that would be nice
I think Aslan breathed on people
and they were affirmed
to
exist and even have a calling
though maybe
existence
was enough
to know that God love me
for me
but
no
I should
do something
too
as I’ve wondered
and I’ve wandered
like the song
and like the song I wonder
while
wandering
why Jesus had to die
and
did he wonder
too
while he was wandering
well
we’re here
Jesus
Spirit and God
and me
without standing or power
a world to cheat
as well as to say hello
hello
maybe the start of cheating
and
what is my place
when it seems I have no place
I am God’s
I’m sure
though God be angry with
my performance so far
and
yet is love
Jesus and Spirit
too
to help
I want
to trust
I hope
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“Breathe on Me, Breath of God” and “I Wonder as I Wander” are hymns
photo by Brooke Balentine on Unsplash
how much the devil
is the devil allowed
to mess inside our heads
to stir
to unstir things inside our hearts
to turn the matter of our spirits
as it were
how much permitted
since
after all the fall
and for it
to be cursed upon the ground
crushed underheel
yet also
the raven of Job
trickster to entice the host of heaven
maybe
God
so that the drama could begin of
awful loss and faith
the playwright has the devil
Scratch
contended with by Daniel Webster
though before
there were ages with the mysteries and
miracles
renderings in which the devil was
a character
and to leap ahead
or
somewhen
there’s the battle between Michael and
Satan
the last fight with armor worn
and scales upon the dragon
and
who wins we know
with all the defeat
why should
it bother
but it does
and how deep it has been given leave
like soldiers to excuse themselves
but
here to serve a relentless campaign
to win
what
the Earth
each one of us
material
and soulful are the gains
to ally with sin and maybe with some error
to twist
the good with the inevitable
especially
while we are fallen
too
to make the worst of it
and how much
how far
to invade
how to much to niggle earthstrings
how far to take the heart
from
its own source
how bad to try to make of good
since bad is not invention
merely
merely attempting to infect the health
of who we are and
what we’ve
been given from the start
resist
and it will blee
what does that mean
and
will it sidle back
or come with force
how final is an exorcism
or is it a tussle with a horror
every day
and while humor’s on our side
it should be hard
night on defeating
to
keep going
but keep going
there is a guarantee
it’s on the page and in
the heart
as well
that we can fight and
laugh
and wait for rescue
try on faithful garments
that will last
with
pockets for
all sorts of reminders
there is God and
we are
and with advising
given all
that we are love
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photo by Karl Hedin on Unsplash
XL
it’s
well
it’s Sunday
and I could think Sunday thoughts by
Protestants and
Catholics
Anabaptists
independents
too
and what should be such thoughts
but an affirmation or a search
for
a belief
affirmed by what is formal
even with authority
though
from a voluntary organization
we may join
or
leave
or maybe we wander
while the sermon
(sorry
sermon
sermon’s sermonizers)
or
while the body is at prayer
our own
thoughts that could rise as prayer
as
Claudius agonizing
formulizes
though admits he cannot follow
or
before or after
or
without
what is an honest asking
an appraisal of anything there might be
more
then us
since we’re in this casing
sensing outward
to
whatever
and often the flesh fails if only
in parts for
a while then
well
all
what
is it
who is it
where
and how
and maybe if we answer these
or someone does
we might know
a why as well
and well the kind of well
that Julian
describes
and is the bird a spirit
and is there spirit in the wind
or in the floor of plants or
far
below
and if so
should we not be worshipping outside
as
am many are
and what of our own
the thing that moves the
flesh
by what’s inside
that is the foundation for our feelings
then thoughts upon
the feelings
then
everything expressed or otherwise
let go
and
yes
finally
let go
so
yes
Sunday thoughts
be in church or at temple or
obeisance in a mosque
whatever holy place
with
holy resources
and on one’s own or with
our trusted
to explore and figure things as far
as we might go and
with
the ministry of small things to keep us
going
at least hospitably
all
the time
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Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
(NIV)
Hamlet and Saint Julian of Norwich are alluded to as well
photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash
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