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Farewell

We never want to let go of them, those we love. How could it be any different than that?  We loved them, hold them still ...

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

Companion me Lord

Companion me Lord in my listening to others.
Those who come seeking you watch for your presence
each and every day.
May I glimpse with them your meaning, your truth.
May you, the source of life, light, comfort
bring clarity, hope ... peace.

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Unless


You will never know love
unless
you surrender to it.

Go on!


Their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, for fear they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed by me. (Matthew 13: 14-15)

I close my ears, I shut my eyes
but my heart understands what I most need.
Convert me, heal me.

Transform us, heal us.
For the good of all.



Monday, 16 July 2012

Your embrace

I am pulled into your embrace
once, twice, three times a day
and it seals me tight to your heart.

Here I can dare to be who I am.
Safe in your arms,
healed of all that ails me,
secure in your presence.

Bind me close now. Never let me go.
All else is death.

Monday, 28 May 2012

And all the while

Let me not be disappointed,
sour,
desolate …

and all the while you love me.

Do not let me break apart,
fracture into hard-hearted fragments
of my former self …

and all the while you heal me.

Draw me to yourself.
Let me find my beauty, my meaning, my goodness
in you.
Let me kneel down sorrowing for all the penny-pinching
ways I find to stop saying yes to the call
to love, to give, to walk the mile …

and all the while you believe in me.

Do not let my enemies triumph.
Do not let the darkness have the last word.
Come Holy Spirit, revive me.
Come Holy Spirit, release me.
Come Holy Spirit, pour your balm of consolation
over all that cries out for healing …

and all the while you lead me.

Sunday, 27 May 2012

Widow III: Lost coin?

I did not lose my coin, I gave it.
Gave it into your hands for keeping,
trusting that you would weigh its value.

Head held high, I gave it.
Knowing the truth of my relenting, repenting, unburdening.
I gave it to you for always.

How can I now take back the gift? Question the way?
Unearth the treasure from its burial place?
Only you and I can walk this road until its end.
Only I and you can take the step that’s called for
next.
Into your hands, for loving.

Worthless woman? Worth more than thousands of sparrows you said.



Friday, 25 May 2012

Widow II: Two lost coins


Two coins, lost.
What did you do with my loving?

What did you do with my loving?

Squandered fruitlessly
or lavished long into the night?
How will I ever know the wherefore and the why?

One lost coin.
Sweep out my life O Lord
till I can see you in every space; each nook and cranny.

No riches now, no treasure.
All gone, all empty
save you.

Receive the pulsing of life
the shock of the waves
the dazzling joy
my all.

What will you do with my loving?

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Widow I: Widow's Coin


It's not enough. I’m not enough. What would ever be enough?
I must lose it all, let it tumble to the ground
because of my loving of you.

And I come weeping with my two small coins grasped tightly in my hand.
No, don't take it all away! No, don't leave me alone!

I don't want more than you can give. You are enough in your poverty.

Me in my poverty. Me in my poverty. Me still after all these years in my poverty.
Stuck it out, all for you.

Stick with me now, it’s all for you.

It's only the beginning of it all. .... this loving.
Only the beginning.
Empty out all the unending griefs. Empty out all those cherished dreams.
Empty out all those broken promises. Empty out what will never be
and let me fill you with my dream for you.
My dream for you.
My full life of all the things you never dreamed in a hundred, thousand years
could have been meant for you.
Risk it, surrender the all.


Friday, 18 May 2012

A blessing


May the God of Goodness shower you with blessings.
May the love and fidelity of God the Father nurture your daily living.
May the passion and truth of Jesus be your inspiration.
May the freedom and conviction of the Holy Spirit be your guide.

Monday, 14 May 2012

Remain in my love

John ch 15
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love ... just as I remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. Love one another, as I have loved you. ... You are my friends. ... I call you friends.
I am called to be part of this amazing circle of love and life that is the Trinity. In the power and strength of the Holy Spirit I am drawn into such a depth of compassionate, overflowing love. Dwelling in the heart of this 'holy friendship' nurtures me, graces me, sends me out to proclaim a gospel of joy. True friendship builds me up, stretches me and turns me towards the other.

Monday, 7 May 2012

The healing

Luke 17: 12-19
As Jesus entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turning back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

I keep my distance and yet all the while I follow. I am not worthy. Have mercy, Lord, have mercy. Dare I approach your healing presence? Could it be that you will heal me too? I believe, help my unbelief. And as I turn I can hardly believe that it has happened to me, this new chance for life to the full. The desire to praise you exceeds all I ever knew. Face down before you the words spill out before your feet. Give thanks.

Monday, 23 April 2012

Let me see

Mark 10: 46-52
They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Have mercy on me Lord, I want to place my hope in your goodness. I want to shout with full voice so that you can hear me call. Let me see. Let me touch you so that you can bring me to life again in you. Let me speak of you and what it means to believe in you. Can it be true that you are calling me, right now here in the midst of my non-seeing? I hear the voices of those who encourage, cajole and hearten me to rise. But I realise, it is you inviting me to step up, to take the risk and yes, it is my faith that heals me. Because, you see, I always believed you would come.