Meditation for Sunday, November 18, 2012: “The End of the World This Week?”

The readings from both the Epistle (Hebrews 10:11-25) and the Gospel (Mark 13:1-8) point to the end of the age, the Day of the Lord, with apocalyptic language — blood, war, earthquakes, and famine.  I must admit that the end times have never been of much interest to me, but then again, as a white male middle class economically secure American living in New England, why would it? Life is, for the most part, pretty good, and I’m in no hurry for it to end. Our earliest ancestors in faith lived lives of physical labor, were viewed with suspicion by their neighbors and were often persecuted. The end of time must have had some appeal, since suffering would be ended, the persecutors would have to answer God for their actions, and life would then be lived with Jesus. Who am to not give the topic at least some thought?

Meditation for Sunday October 7th: Seeking & Finding Unconditional Love

Ah, Job, no doubt of his integrity

while certain of his blessings, fresh with vows

of faithfulness and works of charity,

flush with the love of his generous God!

His obedience stood up to the loss

of goods and servants and even offspring,

no sin of the lips, no curse did he toss

into his well of naked suffering.

To love and to be loved with one’s whole self,

a yearning children know and adults hide,

shroud in rules, dusty scrolls on a shelf,

to veil hearts hardened in the to and fro

of risk and error wandering, contracts

masquerading as the holy union

of created partners drawn to compacts

of unconditional love responding,

receiving, rejoicing in its one Source.

Naked as Job, innocent as children,

a trust no mortal sunders in the course

of jealousy or trial -- one true gift:

  for a soul once bound to God, no divorce.