On the Feast of St. Stephen

The Martyrdom of St. Stephen by Peter Paul Rubens 1616-1617

"The life of the soul is not knowledge, it is love, since love is the act of the supreme faculty, the will, by which man is formally united to the final end of all his striving – by which man becomes one with God." (Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain)

See how wind tears, how

clouds ravage the sky

to shreds…

Can you hear the geese fleeing,

shouting dread

as the savage storm crouches?

Are you afraid?

I know

how the sea sometimes

launches boulders;

but the stubborn land

bows and waits

and, swollen, forgives

with torrents of life;

rivers of joy.

(2013-2017)

Atonement

"There must be a time when the man of prayer

 goes to pray as if it were the first time 

in his life he had every prayed."  Thomas Merton

Grey mist

rises and falls

enfolding parched hills

easing autumn’s harsh pain

saturating the spreading valley

with gathering rain

and mercy.

(1 Oct. 2012)

The Window of Being

“Actions are the doors and windows of being. 

Unless we act we have no way of knowing what 

we are. “ Thomas Merton

Walk

through the door

and do

not stay

in this dark room,

silent,

inactive

thin soul of

yesterday’s

rain.

No.

Break open the window,

and breathe deeply

the light

of being.

(25 Oct 2012)

Invitation

Come into my night;
the darkness is so cold
that sparrows flee
my winter trees,

so I have closed
my windows and my doors
to horde my little warmth.

Crickets will not sing delight
and stars no longer glimmer
in winter’s dreary night.

O come,
O come, Emmanuel!

I am captive and dull.
I cannot see the flashing stars
that lurk beyond the cloud.

O come into my small house
my meager fire share.

O come, and bring fierce angels
to cut away death’s empty snare!

(30 Jan 2011)

Magnificat

The poor still wait

for bolted doors to open

hunger to be filled

and concern to replace

the deep scorn

of the rich, who believe

God is on their side,

who offer golden chalices

and cathedrals of crystal

to purchase

eternal life

with God, who remembers

the poor 

will fill their every

need

but sends away the rich

with nothing

no things to carry

in their powerful, sleek cars

to their empty houses

silent houses 

stony, soulless

mansions, 

nothing

but their names

on fine marble 

engraved,

yet the poor watch

and still wait.

(24 March 2014)

I, John

Photo: Brian Federle, Desert Sunrise, Dec. 2016


I, John, declare.

Listen!

Can you hear?

Open your eyes and see.

With outstretched hands reach and

proclaim to the world of endless strife

the Word of peace,

eternal Life!

*

ref: 1 John 1:1-4

(23 December 2011)

Advent Wreath

The pale sun, gliding low,

refuses to rise into leaden

grey skies, so bleak night

inters our sinful souls.

Oh! break out the candles

and place them around!

See how their fires

consume the dark ground.

Bouquet of flame!

devour our sins,

and ignite winter’s night

in holy conflagration.

(12/1/2010)