Though we toil in sorrow,
Soon will dawn the morrow,
When we’ll cross the river
Bearing home the sheaves.
Soon will dawn the morrow,
When we’ll cross the river
Bearing home the sheaves.
So, I have to go look up gather now in my Bible
concordance,
since what the word conjures for me
is the body of God torn apart and scattered, so that
our task is to gather the limbs of Osiris to restore
what? That stumps me.
since what the word conjures for me
is the body of God torn apart and scattered, so that
our task is to gather the limbs of Osiris to restore
what? That stumps me.
So, I find a passage in Mark
about Jesus finding his vocation.
Jesus was modest and reticent about being God:
Jesus was modest and reticent about being God:
And at even, when the
sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were
possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And
he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and
suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
The devils that dwelled in people took one look at Jesus and
said,
Hello!
Hello!
It seems that much of Jesus’s work involved expelling literal
demons
from people.
He went around Galillee, and people would bring their sick and
afflicted,
and he would heal them with a touch,
the devils always knowing the jig was up.
from people.
He went around Galillee, and people would bring their sick and
afflicted,
and he would heal them with a touch,
the devils always knowing the jig was up.
But I have to tell you,
I think I became a Christian Sunday evening.
Sitting with my friend, hearing a sermon about radical mercy,
I discovered that I wanted to participate in the Communion.
I think I became a Christian Sunday evening.
Sitting with my friend, hearing a sermon about radical mercy,
I discovered that I wanted to participate in the Communion.
So I stepped up to the minister,
and we looked each other in the eye as he offered me the bread
and said, “This is the body,”
and I tore off a piece and dipped it in the cup, and he said,
“This is the blood,”
and I tasted and swallowed the offering.
and we looked each other in the eye as he offered me the bread
and said, “This is the body,”
and I tore off a piece and dipped it in the cup, and he said,
“This is the blood,”
and I tasted and swallowed the offering.
Thinking of the almost-utterly-daunting task before us:
The Apocalypse is now, people—
that gathering
when ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let them that read understand). then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let them that are on the housetops not go down into the houses, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of the houses: And let them that are in the field not turn back again for to take up their garments. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
The Apocalypse is now, people—
that gathering
when ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let them that read understand). then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let them that are on the housetops not go down into the houses, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of the houses: And let them that are in the field not turn back again for to take up their garments. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
Grim stuff.
But I saw the Abomination of Desolation yesterday
over near the Tyrone Guthrie Theater and the Loft Literary Center—
the terrifying new US Bank Stadium, of course,
Pandemonium Viking assault ship—
murderer of birds. And as he went out of the temple,
But I saw the Abomination of Desolation yesterday
over near the Tyrone Guthrie Theater and the Loft Literary Center—
the terrifying new US Bank Stadium, of course,
Pandemonium Viking assault ship—
murderer of birds. And as he went out of the temple,
one of his disciples
saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And
Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall
not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And he said
unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for
therefore came I forth. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all
Galilee, and cast out devils.
So, I ate the body and drank the blood last Sunday,
but I have no idea what’s coming next.
I fear more courage will be demanded than I have.
but I have no idea what’s coming next.
I fear more courage will be demanded than I have.
But we have such sweet discussions about God, do we not?—
each of us bringing our partial perspective
from our separate backgrounds and sufferings and tribulations,
thankful because we gave each other an opportunity to air out our
beliefs,
and to look at our beliefs again through one another’s eyes.
each of us bringing our partial perspective
from our separate backgrounds and sufferings and tribulations,
thankful because we gave each other an opportunity to air out our
beliefs,
and to look at our beliefs again through one another’s eyes.
so that God will be present, and they are!
Because life and poetry gather themselves into one another
like pollen unselfishly.
“I give us all an A+,” said Jim Griffin, “including me.”
Because life and poetry gather themselves into one another
like pollen unselfishly.
“I give us all an A+,” said Jim Griffin, “including me.”
We can't thank each other enough!
