We've Only Just Begun

As we walk along our spiritual path,
the sun is shining brightly,
the birds are sweetly singing,
and our steps are light and carefree.

Then a strange scene crashes into our mind,
Jesus and His disciples,
along with a crowd of people,
are standing below a sycamore tree.

It is then that our eyes are drawn,
to a small man precariously perched,
on one of the branches of the tree,
seeking to see who Jesus is.

We hear Jesus call out to him,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today, I must stay at your house.”

Suddenly, something odd happens,
we are transformed into Zacchaeus,
and we watch from the safety of the tree,
as the yellow brick, spiritual path
we had mapped out ahead of us,
has crumbled right in front of us.

All the progress we thought we were making
vanishes into a pile of rubble,
and we are left peering down into,
a huge, bottomless chasm.

And then, we watch with disbelief,
as the chasm suddenly widens,
and we recognize, with a newfound clarity,
that the evil master of disguise,
has thrown his cloak of confusion over us.

And this cloak has mislead us into believing,
we were actually, following God's will,
when, in fact, we were, like Zacchaeus, 
actually following our own, selfish will.

And with this new awareness,
the chasm abruptly disappears and
in its place, we hear softly the words
of a song from the Carpenters,
“We've Only Just Begun.”

Then, at Jesus's invitation,
we quickly climb down 
from the sycamore tree, 
and looking up at Him,
with our new, unfettered clarity, we say,
“Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned.”

Then, just as suddenly as it appeared,
Jesus and the scene before us evaporates,
and we are left – all alone,
walking on our spiritual path.

However, although the sun still shines brightly,
the birds have stopped singing,
and we are surrounded by silence,
but, in that strange silence,
we feel oddly at peace.

And as we resume our spiritual walk,
our steps continue to be light and carefree,
but, we realize we have gained,
a new spiritual awareness.

And we are left with the courage,
that before we make any choices,
concerning any new crossroads
we will be encountering,
that we must first turn to God,
and pray for His help,
in guiding our feet onto the right path.

And during those times, 
when we are faced with difficult decisions,
and we do not hear the God's voice,
we need to remember the words of the song,
and, be still before the Lord,
and wait patiently for Him, 
(Psalm 37:2)
confident that HE will hear our plea,
and guide us on the right path.

December 2, 2020

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Walking with Mary

  
As we read about Mary's Fiat,
we imagine ourselves in the shadows,
and we hear Gabriel's greeting;
Hail favored one!
The Lord is with you.
(Luke 1:28)   

We see Mary's astonished look
turn to a confused contemplation,
and as she listens to the angel's message,
compelling concerns and puzzling questions
sweep over her dazzling face.

Then Mary remembers Hannah's prayer,
My heart exults in the Lord.
(1 Samuel 2:1)
So, when she hears the joyous news
about her cousin Elizabeth,
she replies to the angel with a confidence,
that can only come from God's grace;
May it be done unto me
according to your word. 
(Luke 1:37)

So, with Mary's loving fiat,
she willingly agrees to, 
freely give the Son of God
a human nature,
(Sheen, Archbishop Fulton J., 
The World's First Love, 
McGraw-Hill Book Company, NY, 1952) 
and by doing so she gives to us,
a magnificent model to emulate,
when confounding choices come our way.

So, as we go through
our confusing, chaotic days,
we turn to the Blessed Ever Virgin Mary,
who, as a child was taught in the temple,
Isaiah and the Psalms.

So, using her knowledge of the 
Sacred Scripture, she teaches us,
with a harmonious combination of
the Old and New Testament verses,
which together reveal the tangible ways,
we can share God's love and goodness.

And as we listen in the silence,
our hearts begin to recognize,
the tenderness and compassion,
that comes from one, whose
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. 
(Luke 1:46)

So, the more we walk,
with the Blessed Ever Virgin Mary,
the more we confidence we gain,
and the more we turn to her,
in matters, both large and small,
the more we know she will guide us,
to truly follow the will of God.

November 15, 2020

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Epiphanies

  
An epiphany is not just a feast day in January,
they are special spiritual sparks,
and they happen all throughout our life,
crashing in and often lighting up,
our mediocre, mundane lives.

For many, these revelations inspire us,
to reevaluate our relationship with God, 
and sometimes,
they even propel us to proclaim,
a special fiat to God;
in thanksgiving for the beautifully wrapped gift,
of wisdom and insight,
HE has granted us.

For some, epiphanies begin at an early age, 
but for others,
especially those who have endured, 
a life consumed and inundated with,
terrifying bottomless valleys of demons,
or treacherous mountainous terrains;
our epiphanies are often accompanied,
by grey hair and creaking bones.

And when we are overcome by,
the oppressive fog of illness or worry,
our hearts become encased in a shroud of sadness;
and surrounded by an aura of hopelessness,
that unceasingly unleashes ominous clouds of despair;
this is when our afflictions, create a blindness of fear.

And when we wander, 
like sheep away from the fold,
and we allow ourselves to get 
distracted by alluring lights;
then, when we end up careening down,
the one-way highway of selfishness;
we brainwash ourselves, that,
we are on the yellow brick road to happiness.

The good news is that God,
like the determined and persistent landowner,
(Matthew 20L1-16)
relentlessly keeps searching;
and especially for those of us still
in the courtyard at 5 pm;
HE is there to offer us,
His grace and bountiful blessings.

So, no matter how long
we have been away,
or how far we have drifted,
God welcomes us with open arms,
and shares with us the same gifts,
HE gives to all those who have
been with Him all along.

And because we are all His
beloved sons and daughters,
HE is constantly calling to us,
sending us a tiny candle flame,
or a blinding bolt of lightning,
that permeates a small, secluded room,
in the inner recesses of our heart.

Epiphanies are mysteries,
that reveal God's enduring love,
like climbing a crystal staircase,
where each step is a medley,
of dissonant and consonant chords.

And with each violent battle we endure,
we also receive a calming, consolation,
that is cultivating within our hearts,
a profound confidence;
a trust that God truly walks with us.

But, if after we offer our fiat to God,
disguised with his former angel wings,
and accompanied by his two accomplices,
known to us as, chaos and confusion;
they silently slither in and,
plant their fear of suffering seeds,
that brings us pain-filled Job days,
and overwhelmed with desperation, 
we fall to our knees, waving our white flag.

And while we are cowering in our nightmares,
they bully us into focusing on our weaknesses,
instead of the strengths and graces,
that God has blessed us with.

We wail, gushing tsunami tears,
and although, God does not promise
to remove the pain, HE reaches out to us,
holds our hand and gently wipes our tears,
as well as the blood that flows down our face,
from our piercing crown of thorns.

And when the hours turn into years,
we cry, but no tears come,
and the pain and the darkness,
are so excruciating and intolerable,
that we doubt God is with us;
it is then that HE sends His angels,
and they stay by our side,
protecting us from harm.

And each new step that we ascend,
opens a window of clarity,
and we discover a new landscape,
and we also experience an increase
in our strength of spirit,
and as we profess a willingness,
to walk into the unknown;
it illuminates and ignites our faith,
in a loving and merciful God.

And as we continue to climb
our crystal staircase of epiphanies,
we take with us the lessons 
we learned from Job,
that we need to contemplate God,
with a trust that enriches our relationship with Him,
and HE will bestow upon us,
an assurance of His love for us.

So, when we are able to discern our epiphanies,
our heart is opened and we perceive a fervent peace,
that only comes from obeying and following,
God’s holy will in our lives.

October 4, 2020

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Salt of the Earth

 
We were created to be
the salt of the earth,
(Matthew 5:13)
but when salt loses its taste,
how can it be restored?

One way is by pruning the weeds,
of our wanton wealth and
denying the gluttonous greed,
that paralyzes us to
the plethora of possibilities,
waiting patiently in the hands
of our loving and benevolent God.

Or when we strive for poverty of spirit,
it is then that we taste the saltiness
of the small and simple things.

The sweet, salt of the earth
is restored when we share
God's respectful love
with all those we meet.

And when we seek the
Truth of the Gospels,
spending each day,
searching for the
goodness, truth, and beauty,
in all the people and events,
we encounter each day,
we restore salt's vibrant flavor.

Another way is when we
break the stronghold
we have created with our
incessant technology.

When we replace our wake-up
morning Twitter tweets,
with the soothing sounds of the
sublime song-birds,
we re-connect with the world
that God created.

When we put down all our devices,
and surrender our stubborn, selfish wills,
to the God who loves us unconditionally,
we discover a joy that surpasses
anything we could ever imagine.

And when we share our
treasures and talents with others,
we give glory to our Father in heaven
and we become the light of the world.

August 9, 2020

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The Welcome Visitor

When our secular mind
covets an activity,
or even a simple wish,
we should first put it
in the hands of the Lord.
And He will convey to us,
the action we should take.

And if it happens
that the answer is No,
we should accept His decision
with a truly joyful heart.
For it is total obedience,
that clears the fog and confusion,
from the cloudy mirror of our soul.

It is only when we put God's love
before all our thoughts, words and actions,
that we find ourselves
choosing heavenly rewards,
over our selfish, earthly ones.

And when we place
all these tiny offerings together,
they gently prepare us,
for the day when the monstrous waves
of our own tsunami sufferings,
strive to strike us down.

For it is only through our preparation
that our souls are steady enough,
to endure the torment,
with the same silence and solitude,
as Jesus did when He accepted His cup.

And we must never judge
what we perceive
to be the size of others suffering.
For what seems like
a refrigerator sized ice cube to us,
may in fact actually be
an underwater iceberg for them.

And when we are able to
offer our sufferings up to God,
He does all the heavy lifting.
So all that is left for us to do
is to let go of the balloon string.
Otherwise, God is unable to
grace us with his joy and peace.

And so whenever suffering comes to us
whether it be for a short overnight visit,
or a lifelong stay,
we must open the door wide
and welcome it in.

July 13, 2020

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Our Walk with the Holy Spirit

Our walk with the Holy Spirit is quickly derailed,
whenever we veer off onto enticing side paths,
walkways woven with a labyrinth of choices,
each one captivating us with its own
shiny baubles and false promises.

For example, when we fixate
on the flamboyant and mesmerizing,
talents and abilities of others,
we find ourselves slowly mutating
into the glowing, green-eyed monster,
we so vehemently despise.

And when our eyes are thus imprisoned,
we feel helpless,
and are unable to discard the defective
measuring stick, that we wield to
diminish and disdain,
the sacred treasures
that God has graced us with.

However, if during our travels,
we should stumble onto a path of suffering,
we should refrain from turning back,
but, instead, pray with more passion,
and ask our Blessed Mother,
to hold our hand.

And when we sit in our own Upper Rooms,
we pray to the Holy Spirit,
for the strength and the courage
to cast aside our cloaks of fear,
and walk boldly in the footsteps of Jesus.

As we think, ponder and reflect,
our hearts are finally able to see,
all our neighbors who are in need.

So, when the welfare of others
becomes a priority for us,
our cataracts of confusion,
slowly crack and crumble,
and we perceive with a new found clarity,
the glorious, hidden treasures bestowed upon us
when we walk with the Holy Spirit.

Some of these buried treasures,
tucked into the tiny recesses of our heart,
are charity, joy, patience, and kindness.

And once these gifts are opened,
they blossom and multiply,
creating a fragrance as magnanimous
as all the flowers in our Mary gardens.

May 31, 2020

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Purple Poetry Path

2020

We've Only Just Begun

Walking with Mary

Epiphanies

Salt of the Earth

The Welcome Visitor

Our Walk with the Holy Spirit