True for all of our historical events, and for me somehow a little comforting to know that despite This and That, we exist, we learn (I hope), we write, we move forward in hope.
Great enough to ask teenagers to read it, is great indeed! Thank you for the high praise, Looocinda, and for your faithful loving attention to these poems and to your little sister. 🌿💛
Another good one and I can see how the pandemic and other bits of history can play into that narrative. We never know what's going to happen next, especially when we think we do, so staying in the present is so hard to do, but all we really can do. Thanks again for a really great poem!
"We never know what's going to happen next, especially when we think we do" -- there's a true word! Thanks for being here, Rose. I'm glad the poem spoke to you.
So true, I think of this kind of often, actually, especially when hearing someone critique someone's reaction in the Bible - look how their faith was shaky; look how they questioned; look how they forgot. It makes me think how easy it is looking back from the end of the story, and how different the experience is when we are standing in the light of our own present and gazing into the dimness of our own unknown future :) It's a good thing to contemplate!
Right? People are so hard on the disciples when they're mentioned in sermons or Bible study groups -- but would I have been any smarter or braver, in the midst of what they were living through? Do I know for sure how smart or brave my own actions now will look someday? One more reason to give others (and ourselves) as much grace as we can.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Sydney.
So true. I read someone talking about Bible commentary once who said, "Form your opinion of them based on what God says about them in His own words." The disciples remain, eternally, the bedrock foundation upon which the house of God is built :) Seems silly to think I might have done better - and wise to think that if men who literally walked with Jesus experienced such struggles, how much more must I cling tightly and ask for help in my own faith. Thanks for exploring this topic!
Once again, like the governor’s wife poem, bringing up a perspective I don’t usually think about. I love the end… but don’t, there’s more to the story, asking how’s the fishing, have you got anything to eat? To me it both invites us into hope and possibility, remembering the deeper story of peace and love, and also invites us to rest our spinning minds by becoming present here and now. Beautiful.
I'm always touched by the way Jesus tries to keep the resurrection "homey" -- no big fancy gestures (well, except for the whole rising from the dead thing), just small greetings and questions and instructions all seemingly meant to help his disciples focus on the present moment. Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Petrina -- love having you here.
This is a stunning poem that speaks both of the experience of the early Christians but also of ours- I read it and thought of some very hard suffering I’ve been through and how Jesus might have been saying “but don’t” in that moment, to me… and how I didn’t know what was next. And then I thought about maybe how that’s true for right now, too.
Thank you for writing this and for sharing your words. I’m grateful to have discovered them and will be coming back to meditate!
What I like about the story of Jesus is that he was simply a man and like everyone else. That's why I think he could relate and help so many. I think it's beautiful that so many can relate to his disciples but why not relate to him? I don't necessarily believe in Adam and Eve but even those characteres are ones that people can relate to so I'm curious there.. We are all only human aren't we?
I agree about the humanness of Jesus, Angela. I hope there's room in this poem to relate to him as well as to the disciples.
As one who believes in the Both/And about Jesus -- completely human, and also somehow divine -- his simply-humanness is what opens my heart to a God Who loves us enough to enter completely into our world and our lives. And even if one reads his story as being about "just" a man, he was a pretty remarkable guy.
(P.S. I agree with you about Adam and Eve, too -- definitely relatable, but more as characters in a legend or a folk tale than in history.)
I tend to think that his ability to help others, etc. opens alot of people up to the word God. Wasn't Jesus an amazing person!?! I know that the word God helped me for a long time. I just didn't realise how many times throughout history it has also harmed. Today, I believe basically the same way only do not title it nor follow any strict laws because I truly believe that the unknown is unknown for a reason. I simply cannot ignore those who have been harmed. That's not in me. In all honesty man created the word God but what created man is unknown. What created the Church is unknown. It's very VERY POWERFUL but completely unknown. It's just something people argue, fight, abuse and kill over. They have for a LONG time. That's why I stick to simply not titling it but honestly I think that each person should believe the way they are ready for. To believe the way that gets YOU through life is a beautiful thing. That's actually what my poem today is about. I hadn't written in years and would love for you to take a look!!
Thank you for sharing your poem after not having written for so long, Angela. I honor your generosity, and the compassion in your poem, and your deep respect for mystery ... and I agree that insistence on certainty has been the seed of far too much abuse and violence, in the Church and in other powerful institutions. Your poem speaks eloquently about how individuals can choose to act in love and help each other heal and grow.
True for all of our historical events, and for me somehow a little comforting to know that despite This and That, we exist, we learn (I hope), we write, we move forward in hope.
Yes, agreed! Thank you, Elizabeth.
Loved your creative use of pronouns “this” and “that”.
“Good news” and “ġood story-telling” .are what the gospels tell humanity when “they” didn’t
listen (or believe) what would happen NEXT.
Soft(yet pointed) Easter poem !
Your poem could be shared with teen-age/young adult Sunday school classes at the beginning of
Lent.
Yes! It’s THAT great…
Great enough to ask teenagers to read it, is great indeed! Thank you for the high praise, Looocinda, and for your faithful loving attention to these poems and to your little sister. 🌿💛
I really enjoyed reading this, gave me a new perspective I hadn't considered previously. Thank you 😊
Thanks for reading it, Lisa. 🌿
Another good one and I can see how the pandemic and other bits of history can play into that narrative. We never know what's going to happen next, especially when we think we do, so staying in the present is so hard to do, but all we really can do. Thanks again for a really great poem!
"We never know what's going to happen next, especially when we think we do" -- there's a true word! Thanks for being here, Rose. I'm glad the poem spoke to you.
So true, I think of this kind of often, actually, especially when hearing someone critique someone's reaction in the Bible - look how their faith was shaky; look how they questioned; look how they forgot. It makes me think how easy it is looking back from the end of the story, and how different the experience is when we are standing in the light of our own present and gazing into the dimness of our own unknown future :) It's a good thing to contemplate!
Right? People are so hard on the disciples when they're mentioned in sermons or Bible study groups -- but would I have been any smarter or braver, in the midst of what they were living through? Do I know for sure how smart or brave my own actions now will look someday? One more reason to give others (and ourselves) as much grace as we can.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Sydney.
So true. I read someone talking about Bible commentary once who said, "Form your opinion of them based on what God says about them in His own words." The disciples remain, eternally, the bedrock foundation upon which the house of God is built :) Seems silly to think I might have done better - and wise to think that if men who literally walked with Jesus experienced such struggles, how much more must I cling tightly and ask for help in my own faith. Thanks for exploring this topic!
Once again, like the governor’s wife poem, bringing up a perspective I don’t usually think about. I love the end… but don’t, there’s more to the story, asking how’s the fishing, have you got anything to eat? To me it both invites us into hope and possibility, remembering the deeper story of peace and love, and also invites us to rest our spinning minds by becoming present here and now. Beautiful.
I'm always touched by the way Jesus tries to keep the resurrection "homey" -- no big fancy gestures (well, except for the whole rising from the dead thing), just small greetings and questions and instructions all seemingly meant to help his disciples focus on the present moment. Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Petrina -- love having you here.
This is a stunning poem that speaks both of the experience of the early Christians but also of ours- I read it and thought of some very hard suffering I’ve been through and how Jesus might have been saying “but don’t” in that moment, to me… and how I didn’t know what was next. And then I thought about maybe how that’s true for right now, too.
Thank you for writing this and for sharing your words. I’m grateful to have discovered them and will be coming back to meditate!
So glad the poem speaks to you, Kerri -- thank you for reading and commenting. 💛
Beautiful and right on, as always
Auntie B
Thank you, dear one. 💛
What a poem. Thank you.
Thanks so much for reading it, Margaret Ann. 🌿
What I like about the story of Jesus is that he was simply a man and like everyone else. That's why I think he could relate and help so many. I think it's beautiful that so many can relate to his disciples but why not relate to him? I don't necessarily believe in Adam and Eve but even those characteres are ones that people can relate to so I'm curious there.. We are all only human aren't we?
I agree about the humanness of Jesus, Angela. I hope there's room in this poem to relate to him as well as to the disciples.
As one who believes in the Both/And about Jesus -- completely human, and also somehow divine -- his simply-humanness is what opens my heart to a God Who loves us enough to enter completely into our world and our lives. And even if one reads his story as being about "just" a man, he was a pretty remarkable guy.
(P.S. I agree with you about Adam and Eve, too -- definitely relatable, but more as characters in a legend or a folk tale than in history.)
I tend to think that his ability to help others, etc. opens alot of people up to the word God. Wasn't Jesus an amazing person!?! I know that the word God helped me for a long time. I just didn't realise how many times throughout history it has also harmed. Today, I believe basically the same way only do not title it nor follow any strict laws because I truly believe that the unknown is unknown for a reason. I simply cannot ignore those who have been harmed. That's not in me. In all honesty man created the word God but what created man is unknown. What created the Church is unknown. It's very VERY POWERFUL but completely unknown. It's just something people argue, fight, abuse and kill over. They have for a LONG time. That's why I stick to simply not titling it but honestly I think that each person should believe the way they are ready for. To believe the way that gets YOU through life is a beautiful thing. That's actually what my poem today is about. I hadn't written in years and would love for you to take a look!!
Thank you for sharing your poem after not having written for so long, Angela. I honor your generosity, and the compassion in your poem, and your deep respect for mystery ... and I agree that insistence on certainty has been the seed of far too much abuse and violence, in the Church and in other powerful institutions. Your poem speaks eloquently about how individuals can choose to act in love and help each other heal and grow.
Absolutely beautiful and so thought provoking.
Thank you, Maureen! Grateful to you for reading.