Jesuit Collaborative

Hence, all frontier ministries have to be saturated with the spirit of the One who breathes a joyous promise of victory from the Cross of apparent failure where he is exalted in glory; this faith guarantees a sense of humor in an otherwise harsh situation. Jesuits without a sense of humor – without the ability to laugh at themselves as much as at the failures and foibles of the church – cannot be in the frontier. This is the meaning of hope which accompanies faith in every life of love.

The holy Jesuit whom Ignatius defined as a mortified Jesuit [rather than as a mere praying Jesuit [ is therefore a crucified man full of hope and humor. He alone is qualified to be at the frontier. When he asks himself the Triple Question of the First Week, he should have before him the medieval artist’s “Crucified Christ with the smiling face” (which makes Christ say: I have done it! It is accomplished!), an image still preserved in the Cistercian Monastery in Lerins. Another sculpture of the same genre can be seen at the Xavier Castle. In this smile of the crucified one “lies” the non-existent boundary between the Third and the Fourth Weeks of the Spiritual Exercises!

Let man and beast appear before him, and magnify his name together.
Let Noah and his company approach the throne of Grace and do homage to the Ark of their Salvation.
Let Abraham present a Ram, and worship the God of his Redemption.
Let Isaac, the Bridegroom, kneel with his Camels, and bless the hope of his pilgrimage.
Let Jacob, and his speckled Drove adore the good Shepherd of Israel.
Let Esau offer a scape Goat for his seed…
Let Nimrod, the mighty hunter, bind a Leopard to the altar…

Let Daniel come forth with a Lion, and praise God…
Let Naphtali with an Hind give glory…
Let Aaron, the high priest, sanctify a Bull…

Let Abiathar with a Fox praise the name of the Lord…
Let Moses, the Man of God, bless with a Lizard, in the sweet majesty of good-nature, and magnanimity of meekness.
Let Joshua praise God with a Unicorn…
Let David bless with the Bear…
Let Solomon praise with the Ant…

Let Tobias bless Charity with his Dog…
Let Anna bless God with the Cat…
Let Benaiah praise with the Asp…
Let Barzillai bless with the Snail…
Let Joab with the Horse Worship the Lord God of Hosts
Let Shemaiah bless God with the Caterpillar…

Let Iddo praise the Lord with the Moth – the writings of man perish as the garment, but the Book of God endureth forever.
Let Nebuchadnezzar bless with the Grasshopper – the pomp and vanities of the World are as the herb of the field, but the glory of the Lord increaseth forever.

Just as people of the world, who follow the world, love and seek with such great diligence honors, fame, and esteem for a great name on earth, as the world teaches them, so those who are progressing in the spiritual life and truly following Christ our Lord love and intensely desire everything opposite. That is to say, they desire to clothe themselves with the same clothing and uniform of their Lord, because of the love and reverence which he deserves, to such an extent that where there would be no offence to his Divine Majesty and no imputation of sin to the neighbor, they would wish to suffer injuries, false accusations, and affronts, and to be held and esteemed as fools (but without their giving any occasion for this), because of their desire to resemble and imitate in some manner our Creator and Lord Jesus Christ, by putting on his clothing and uniform, since it was for our spiritual profit that the clothes himself as he did. For he gave us an example that in all things possible to us we might seek, through the aid of his grace, to imitate and follow him, since he is the way which leads to life.

Too often I have rushed by you,
doing many things about you,
for you.
Meanwhile I’ve missed you
and searched for you,
but now I know you are here.
You always were.
You’ve always wanted me.
You’ve tried to get to me,
but I passed by.
I am here
and so are you.
I won’t go
(Maybe I will –
sooner than I want.)
As I’m learning to stay by your side
without moving
without running away.
You overwhelm me though you try not to.
I’m frightened of who I might find inside myself,
but I’m in your great stillness.
You affirm me
and ask me to stay
and I feel the tingle
in the tips of my toes
that makes me want to reach up to you,
but I’m just sitting
on a rock
in the sun
by the beach
beaming that you remain by my side.

To everyone, Christians, believers, and men and women of good will, I say: Do not be afraid to take a chance on peace, to teach peace. The aspiration for peace will not be disappointed forever. Work for peace, inspired by charity which does not pass away, will produce its fruits.

The grace of the sea eagle makes me think of you.
As I look up and see you are near.
How I wish to glide through life in the same way.
You are solitary, but your gaze is directed downwards.
To have my head in the clouds
and see you more nearly
is what I seek.
No, I want to fly alongside you
and frolic without limits.
Tumbling, swerving, stretching into new boundaries,
joining others who are lifted up -
just the breath of air to sustain us,
passing time through the brightness of day.
This is our moment.
Stay aloft over those frothy surfs.
Savor the thrill.
When day is done
just come and rest with me on the rocks
with our shadows left in the memory of the day
and feel the tickly of the splash upon our faces
knowing with a content heart how good it is.

On the question of his own Enlightenment the Master always remained reticent, even though the disciples tried every means to get him to talk.

All the information they had on this subject was what the Master once said to his youngest son who wanted to know what his father felt when he became Enlightened.

The answer was:

"A fool."

When the boy asked why, the Master had replied, "Well, son, it was like going to great pains to break into a house by climbing a ladder and smashing a window and then realizing later that the door of the house was open."

You need not seek him here or there, for he is no further than the door of your heart; there he stands patiently awaiting whoever is ready to open up and let him in. No need to call to him from afar: he can hardly wait for you to open up, he longs for you a thousand times more than you long for him.

July 18, 2010

Abraham’s example of hospitality to the three strangers sets up our imagination to look at Mary and Martha’s style of welcome to Jesus. We meet Abraham directly after he promises obedience to God’s covenant while he is resting after circumcising himself. Three foreigners pass by Abraham’s camp and he begs them to stop for rest and nourishment. Abraham does not eat with them but waits on them while they eat. For his goodness, Abraham is rewarded by these men with a prophecy that his wife, Sarah, well beyond her child-bearing years, will bear a son within the next year. Abraham is upholding the revered custom in the ancient world to welcome the foreigner for everyone is a pilgrim at one time or another in life. One can never know when an angel of the Lord God may appear.

Just as Abraham spends precious time with these three strangers, we find Mary and Martha attending, at varying degrees, to the words of Jesus. We often highlight the differing approaches they take – Martha, the ever-responsible one who makes events move smoothly, and Mary, the one who is enraptured by the words of Jesus and becomes a model for contemplative life. Mary’s way gets the nod from Jesus, but it does not resolve the tension as both ways are necessary for hospitality. We must prepare for our guests and when they arrive, it is time to relax with them. Martha feels too responsible to relax because Mary shirks her duties leaving too great of a burden on her. Maybe we do not understand fully the message Luke intends, but common sense will tell us that both ways have to be integrated if we are to be truly hospitable. However, Abraham shows us that it is key to offer the choicest welcome we can to foreigners. We just do not know the unexpected surprises that await us – for when we give generously, we also seem to get back much more than we ever gave. It is quite a paradox.

How well do we receive people into our lives? We wouldn’t dare invite foreigners to our homes mostly because of security concerns, especially in a litigious society. Regretfully, we don’t even want them in our country. Our schedules are often horrific as they are so cluttered with many details that we often don’t get the chance to relax. If we can’t take care of ourselves, we will not be able to tend to the needs of others. Reflect upon the last time you have invited someone over to your house. We scarcely invite our friends over anymore. Many people would rather meet out at a coffee house or a restaurant because it is more convenient, safer, and we can control the amount of time we allot for the gathering, and then we have to debate over who is going to pay this time. But on those times in which we do invite someone over for a leisurely conversation, it is good if we learn a lesson from Abraham, Martha, and Mary. They did all they could to make the person feel honored. They listened well to their guests and were thereby enriched. It is only when we slow down within ourselves that we are truly able to receive the other person and we exponentially receive much more than we could ever give. Life is too short to fill up with so many activities. Learn to receive another with grace. You will be more than satisfied.

Quote for the Week

From Abraham Lincoln:

During the darkest days of the Civil War, the hopes of the Union nearly died. When certain goals seemed unreachable, the leaders of the Union turned to President Abraham Lincoln for solace, guidance and hope. Once, when a delegation called at the White House and detailed a long list of crisis facing our nation, Lincoln told this story:

Years ago, a young friend and I were out one night when a shower of meteors fell from the clear November sky. The young man was frightened, but I told him to look up in the sky past the shooting stars to the "fixed" stars beyond, shining serene in the firmament, and I said, "let us not mind the meteors, but let us keep our eyes on the stars.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading: Micah dialogues with the Lord God to find out what is required to gain good favor of God. The answer is: Do the right, love goodness, and walk humbly with God. He appeals to God to shepherd the people because there is no other God as good and caring. Jeremiah is called from his priestly family to be a prophet. This was his calling from the womb. He is called to help rebellious Israel return to its covenantal fidelity. When the people return, all will be restored and their memories will be only of the good actions of God and the people. To reform their ways, they must turn away from Ba’al, keep the commandments, care for the orphans and the poor, and welcome the foreigner.

Gospel: The scribes and Pharisees ask for a sign of the origin of the power of Jesus and he calls to mind the story of the people of Jonah who repented merely at his words. Jesus then establishes the family of the kingdom by declaring blood lines no longer matter; those who do the will of God belong to this new family. He tells the parable of the sower and urges the people to take heart to what he is saying about accepting his teaching. He further urges patience because sometimes the good seed is planting among weeds and we must take care that we do not extinguish the harvest of that good seed.

Saints of the Week

Tuesday: Apollinaris, bishop and martyr, was the first bishop of Ravenna appointed by Peter during the reign of Claudius and Vespasian. He was repeatedly exiled and tortured, but he continued to preach the Gospel during his difficult times.

Wednesday: Lawrence di Brindisi, priest and Doctor, was a scholarly Capuchin priest in Verona, Italy whose ministry spanned the year 1575 to 1619. As a scripture scholar he served as a diplomat and missionary and was commissioned by the Pope to convert Jews to Christianity and to combat the spread of Protestantism.

Thursday: Mary Magdalene, apostle, is called the “Apostle to the Apostles” because she was the first witness to the Resurrection. She was moved to anoint the dead body of Jesus by bringing ointment to the tomb on Easter morning. Scriptural references portray her as being a faithful disciple to Jesus and as a woman who was cured fully (with perfection) of seven demons.

Friday: Bridget of Sweden, religious, founded the Bridgettine Order for men and women in 1370, though today only the women’s portion has survived. She desired to live in a lifestyle defined by prayer and penance. Her husband of 28 years died after producing eight children with Bridget. She then moved to Rome to begin the new order.

Saturday: Sharbel Makluf, priest, joined a monastery in the Maronite tradition and lived as a hermit for 23 years after living fifteen years in the community. He became known for his wisdom and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

This Week in Jesuit History

• Jul 18, 1973. The death of Fr. Eugene P Murphy. Under his direction the Sacred Heart Hour, which was introduced by Saint Louis University in 1939 on its radio station [WEW], became a nationwide favorite.
• Jul 19, 1767. At Naples, Prime Minister Tannic, deprived the Jesuits of the spiritual care of the prisoners, a ministry that they had nobly discharged for 158 years.
• Jul 20, 1944. An abortive plot against Adolf Hitler by Claus von Stauffenberg and his allies resulted in the arrest of Fr. Alfred Delp.
• Jul 21, 1773. In the Quirinal Palace, Rome, the Brief for the suppression of the Society was signed by Clement XIV.
• Jul 22, 1679. The martyrdom at Cardiff, Wales, of St Phillip Evans.
• Jul 23, 1553. At Palermo, the parish priests expressed to Fr. Paul Achilles, rector of the college, indignation that more than 400 persons had received Holy Communion in the Society's church, rather than in their parish churches.
• Jul 24, 1805. In Maryland, Fr. Robert Molyneux was appointed the first superior by Father General Gruber.

Mary Magdalene

Each year as I approach the Memorial of Mary Magdalene, I wonder how she will be treated by preachers and the church. The fact is we know so little about her, but we conflate various stories of “Marys” into the tale of Mary Magdalene and we fill our mind with a distorted view. I do wish we knew more, but sometimes knowing less can help our prayers. Some attempts have been made to rehabilitate her reputation. The best we can do is to get in touch with our scriptural tradition and learn from our tradition. It will help us gain better perspective into our church and our saints and we will feel much more secure in the mystery that is our church.

Thanks, thanks be to you, Eternal Father! I am imperfect and full of darkness, but you, perfection and light, have shown me to perfection and the way of your Son. I was dead and you brought me to life.

I wrench my shoes from my bruised swollen feet
and release them from the day’s tension.
Toes pointing upwards, red and throbbing,
gasping for their fresh freedom.
They soldiered valiantly
and bore much weight
for they had to carry me home.
Now they rest, raised up, steaming hot.
“We are weary,” they cry proudly.
“We’ve toiled well.
Stretch us. Unbind us. Let the air be our salve.
We must ready ourselves for another tomorrow.”

I find God largely in and through the Bible. Most of my academic, spiritual, and pastoral life revolves around the Bible. It is for me the most important way to come to know, love, and serve God.

My love for the Bible goes back a long way. I stutter. I always have, and I guess I always will. As a young boy I read in the newspaper that Moses stuttered. I looked it up in the Bible, and sure enough in Exodus 4:10 Moses says to God: “I as slow of speech and slow of tongue.” But I found much more in Exodus 3-4. It is the story of God’s self-revelation to Moses at Mount Horeb. It tells about the burning bush, the suffering of God’s people Israel is Egypt, the revelation of the special divine name (“I am who I am”), God’s promise of liberation from slavery, Moses’ miraculous powers, and God’s call to Moses to speak on God’s behalf. I read that story over and over, and it gradually worked upon me so that it has shaped my religious consciousness to this day. As a boy of ten or eleven years of age I found God in the Bible, and I have continued to do so ever since.

The God of the Bible is the God of Jesus Christ. I experience his God in and through the Bible and my life. It is my privilege as a Jesuit priest to study and teach Scripture, to proclaim and preach God’s word, and to celebrate the Church’s liturgies (which are largely cast in the language of the Bible). In the midst of these wonderful activities (which are my greatest joy), I occasionally stutter. And this brings me back to where my spiritual journey with the Bible began. Though I am slow of speech and tongue like Moses, I still hear the words of Exodus 4:11-12: “Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and I will be your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.”

The small wooden flute and I,
We need the one who breathes….
So that the song-starved world
May be fed with golden melodies.

The latter years are a time when we simply allow ourselves to become more familiar with God and His saints in heaven. We should let ourselves grow closer to that source of life, that ocean of love, toward which we are inexorably moving, just as the waterborne traveler on a great river begins to scent the first tang of the mighty sea to which the current is noiselessly carrying him. It means talking much to God: to our Father in Heaven, to His Son, our Redeemer, to the Holy Spirit, who is our invisible and ever-working companion, and to Christ’s Blessed Mother Mary.

We don’t delude ourselves. Our minds may wander more readily in the later years. Troublesome memories of the past may obtrude, if we don’t banish them at their first appearance. We may even forget prayers we used to know by heart.

But the main thing is that prayer becomes more and more a part of the texture of our lives. We dwell a little longer in meditating. We spend a little longer time in a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. We refer things to God more naturally and frequently. We do much praying for the Church, for the See of Peter, for all the body of faithful, for souls akin to us outside the visible Church, for so many great intentions. In our later years we become more conscious that we do not pray alone. The Church is praying with us and in us – the whole Mystical Body of Christ.

Knees wobbled and weak,
at the rim of the world.
for the journey ahead.
From its southern tip,
the ferry pulls away,
in blue-green waters,
my legs like taffy,
on a trip of immensity,
where little is contained.
We bobble and float,
the soothing wave of nothingness
with closed eyes,
yet I fear sleep,
for if I do,
I may be gone,
and who would know?
You’ve no control.
Your destiny can’t be shaped.
The raft will carry you,
or it may sink.
Will I reach out to cling to its beams?
Endless bouncing,
deep into the gut,
undetectable at times,
past the safe confines
and into the open horizons
where no birds glide
or fish jump.
Ankles weak and stomach aquiver,
tosses out the question,
Which is greater?
the hovering sky,
the arched sea,
or those distant peaks
of snow and ice
that rip open in defiance
the placid surface
and calls out, “I dare you.”
I am weak and finite.
I can’t contend.
It bends my mind,
so my lids I close
and float
and wonder
where it goes.

Into each of our lives Jesus comes as the bread of life - to be eaten, to be consumed by us. This is how he loves us. Then Jesus comes in our human life as the hungry one, the other, hoping to be fed with the bread of our life, our hearts loving, and our hands serving. In loving and serving, we prove that we have been created in the likeness of God, for God is love and when we love, we are like God. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect."

Whoever finds Jesus finds a rare treasure, indeed, a good above every good. Whereas one who loses him lose more than the whole world. The one who lives without Jesus is the poorest of the poor, whereas no one is so rich as the one who lives in his grace.

July 11, 2010

I suspect that the Parable of the Good Samaritan is a favorite of many because it makes one feel good about doing what is instinctively right. In our consciousness we become this Good Samaritan who can break boundaries to do what is good and therefore we put ourselves on the path for the approval of Jesus to enter into eternal life. Over the years, we have answered the questions “Who is my neighbor” and reflected upon “Who is my enemy?” This parable begs us not to be deceived about our relationships. Often those who could be the closest to us because of some family bond are those who in some sense can pose the greatest opposition to us, but we merely call them family. We neither classify them as neighbor nor adversary. They are in a category of their own. This is the situation between the Jews and Samaritans. They despise one another – probably because of their shared ancestry and scripture. Each built their own rival temple after the Babylonian captivity that further heightened the tension between these cousins. Attempts at reconciliation were historically made, but neither side would ever consider violating the sacred customs that continuously demonize one another. Each has too much self-respect to lose. The other is termed as “those people” who don’t have the ability to ever do the right thing.

Astoundingly, the Samaritan is the one who acts rightly from his heart and shows mercy to the one in need. The Samaritan acts out of our sacred scriptures and his own. He obeys the primacy of conscience that informs his heart. Moses tells us that we don’t have to go searching for the answers because they reside confidently in our hearts – if we just call them forth. We have all the resources we need to make our best moral choices. When we set up our defenses or act solely through reasoned arguments, we are betraying the precepts of our scriptures. The scholar of the law arrives at this answer intellectually in the Gospel and we sense that he also understands the fullness of the parable. He now is left to act upon it – in the face of a culture that actively forbids it. He is called to “Go and do likewise.”

Never mind looking at our worldwide enemies; think of the broken relationships we have in the family we call our church. We hold vehemently to our positions on liturgy and language, sexual ethics, moral conduct, and conservative or progressive interpretations of our teachings. We polarize one another; we demonize the other camp; we will not engage in dialogue; we would never transgress the safe boundaries we have established. Is this healthy? No. Of course not. No amount of dialogue, no amount of reasoning can restore this relationship, only compassion - a much deeper affection can do this. Treating our own “modern-day Samaritans” with charity could really move us forward toward a reconciliation of joy. We can do it. It is in our hearts. The hymn to Christ in Colossians is a good reminder for us to realize that God is the one who makes possible this reconciliation. If through Christ we are to restore relationships, we are to listen to the deep recesses of our heart where God resides so that we can choose to do the good and the right – in adverse conditions. Then we will have the basis to act in the surprising way of the Samaritan whose example of faith challenges us to “Go and do likewise.”

Quote for the Week

The Dawn by John Predmore, S.J.

Dawn,
protrudes her head into the darkness
summoning all to rise.
The day begins,
and leads nowhere.
I sit and note
elsewhere I could be doing.
My time would be filled.
I would have purpose.
I swig a drop of coffee,
and yet another,
my breath melts under the sun.
I watch the birds and cows,
and empty my cup,
with no cause to arise.
I sit.
I feel.
Onwards I stay,
and breathe until midday.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading: The beginning of Isaiah instructs people to hear the word of the Lord and to put away misdeeds so they can learn to do the good. With mounting armies outside of the gates of Jerusalem, the Lord tells the people that in the very near future Ephraim will be crushed and shall no longer be a nation. In their misery, the people cry out to the Lord remembering the love he had for them. As King Hezekiah is mortally ill, the prophet Isaiah comes to tend his wounds. He tells the king that the Lord has heard the prayers of the people; Hezekiah himself will recover. Micah tells us that those who plan evil will have evil come to them. Destruction and pillage takes place in the land.

Gospel: In his instructions to the disciples sent on mission, he tells them that not everyone will come into the kingdom. Families will be split up and deep divisions will occur based on belief that Jesus is Lord and the kingdom of God is arriving. People will be judged on the degree of hospitality they extend to Jesus and the Word of God. To conclude the instructions, he blesses the Father and gives thanks. He invites all to come unto him and then declares he is the Lord of the Sabbath by eating the heads of grain. The incensed Pharisees seek to put him to death so he withdraws and cures people and speaks of the kingdom.

Saints of the Week

Tuesday: Henry is a descendent of the Emperor Charlemagne. He became king of Germany and of the Holy Roman Empire near the turn of the new millennium. He merged civil and secular affairs with ecclesiastical ones and he supported the reforms of the Cluny monastery.

Wednesday: Kateri Tekakwitha is called the Lily of the Mohawks because of the kindness and Christian virtue she showed the missionaries to the New World in the 17th century. She suffered from smallpox as a child that left her scarred and nearly blind. She was baptized on Easter Sunday and continued her devotion to the Eucharist during a persecution by her fellow Mohawks.

Thursday: Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor, was a good friend of Thomas Aquinas and was made the superior of the Franciscan Order in 1257. He was so named (good fortune) because of his cure by Francis of Assisi after a childhood illness. He was the leading figure in the ecumenical council at Lyons that set out to unite the Greek and Latin rites. Friday:

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a feast that is special to the Carmelites because it is regarded as the day in which Simon Stock was given the brown scapular by Mary in 1251. A century before the apparition, a group of hermits settled near a chapel dedicated to Mary on Mount Carmel that overlooked the plain of Galilee in the place where the prophet Elijah lived.

This Week in Jesuit History

• Jul 11, 1809. After Pius VII had been dragged into exile by General Radet, Fr. Alphonsus Muzzarrelli SJ, his confessor, was arrested in Rome and imprisoned at Civita Vecchia.
• Jul 12, 1594. In the French Parliament Antoine Arnauld, the Jansenist, made a violent attack on the Society, charging it with rebellious feelings toward King Henry IV and with advocating the doctrine of regicide.
• Jul 13, 1556. Ignatius, gravely ill, handed over the daily governance of the Society to Juan de Polanco and Cristobal de Madrid.
• Jul 14, 1523. Ignatius departs from Venice on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
• Jul 15, 1570. At Avila, St Teresa had a vision of Blessed Ignatius de Azevedo and his companions ascending to heaven. This occurred at the very time of their martyrdom.
• Jul 16, 1766. The death of Giuseppe Castiglione, painter and missionary to China. They paid him a tribute and gave him a state funeral in Peking (Beijing).
• Jul 17, 1581. Edmund Campion was arrested in England.

Happy Bastille Day

Warm wishes to the French who celebrate the storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789, the beginning of the French Revolution, a symbol of the establishment of the modern nation. The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of King Louis XVI's Ancient Regime. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king's power was no longer absolute: power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers. The storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against oppression for all French citizens; like the tri-colored flag, it symbolized the Republic's three ideals: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. It marked the end of absolute monarchy, the birth of the sovereign Nation, and, eventually, the creation of the Republic.

Creo en Dios, Padre todopoderoso, creador del Cielo y de la Tierra.
Creo en Jesucristo su único Hijo, Nuestro Señor,
que fue concebido por obra y garcia del Espíritu Santo;
nació de Santa María Virgen;
padeció bajo el poder de Poncio Pilato;
fue crucificado, muerto y sepultado;
descendió a los infiernos;
al tercer día resucitó de entre los muertos;
subió a los cielos y está a la diestra de Dios Padre;
desde allí ha de venir a juzgar a los vivos y a los muertos.
Creo en el Espíritu Santo, en la Santa Iglesia Católica,
la comumión de los Santos en el perdon de los pecados
la resurrección de los muertos y la vida eterna.
Amén.

The soft mid-afternoon light speaks of day’s end,
But it won’t rush too soon as much yet is to happen.
Nearly the same events occur each day,
and I too often have just passed by.
I want to watch, but where to look?
Like cherished relationships, I fail to see the one who desires me most.
Dare I walk away?
Like I always do?
Gentle strength deserves notice as the sun steadily warms my hair.
The silence builds so loudly
and its bellow clunks into me. Progressively.
Declare the battle waged.
The soft black sand gives way.
I have no footing to fight back.
I won’t reach. I refuse to take hold.
Higher ground is safety’s illusion.
The grip is upon me.
A trickle turns into a strengthening stream.
From out of nowhere, firm power.
The surf is violent and edgy,
while the opposing stream lazily laps down to the ocean,
the tide pulls in, and no power can suppress it.
Like the stream, I can’t compete.
I am to give myself over to who I am.
No. I give myself over to the good
and bend to the rhythm of life.
Rock solid, I am surrounded.
Don’t get up. Don’t leave.
Become a part of it.
Life has been too long apart from it.
I am immersed.
No fight is left.
No struggle.
The flow is within me.
The fight is now for others.
All turmoil is drowned in contentment.
I am not giving up life; life amazes always.
Drench me.
Submerge me.
Don’t resist. The illusion is over.
Cover me and let me become who you are.