Saturday, January 17, 2004
Meditation on Mark 2, 13-17
Thank you, Lord,
for being willing to be seen
in the company of sinners,
who you change in the transforming fire of your love
into the children of God.
You did not think it wrong
to call on the soul-sick,
nor break bread with those thought unworthy,
letting us know
God is God of the hurting
and weary
and angry
and needy,
not just the God of the few and the pure.
Teach us to open our arms wide
like you do
to pour out this great gift of love,
your salvation,
your care
upon all the sin-sick and weary
so that they too may know
the transforming fire of your touch.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Thank you, Lord,
for being willing to be seen
in the company of sinners,
who you change in the transforming fire of your love
into the children of God.
You did not think it wrong
to call on the soul-sick,
nor break bread with those thought unworthy,
letting us know
God is God of the hurting
and weary
and angry
and needy,
not just the God of the few and the pure.
Teach us to open our arms wide
like you do
to pour out this great gift of love,
your salvation,
your care
upon all the sin-sick and weary
so that they too may know
the transforming fire of your touch.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Praise and Thanksgiving, scripture
Friday, January 16, 2004
Two Gardens
In one garden,
the lie was chosen
over the will of God,
and nature
groaned under the curse
and the grief
and the countless tears
of mankind
that followed.
In one garden,
quietly,
one full moon night
the will of God was chosen
over the lie
and nature knew
the promise of healing
that would free a woeful mankind
of its tears
had begun
in the unfathomable grief of
the one who said yes.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
the lie was chosen
over the will of God,
and nature
groaned under the curse
and the grief
and the countless tears
of mankind
that followed.
In one garden,
quietly,
one full moon night
the will of God was chosen
over the lie
and nature knew
the promise of healing
that would free a woeful mankind
of its tears
had begun
in the unfathomable grief of
the one who said yes.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Passion of Christ
Friday Morning Meditation
It is Friday, Lord.
On this day,
remind me of that Friday so long ago,
when you, presented to the people
beaten,
bloody,
shown off as a scandal
instead of a healer.
As you stood and watched the crowd
screaming for your blood,
you did not call heaven's fire
down upon their heads,
but gave them what they asked for,
your very blood
to wash all our souls clean.
Instead of wrath,
love.
Instead of retribution,
salvation.
Teach me,
unkind and unworthy as I am,
to walk in your steps,
this day,
tomorrow and forever,
that I might shed
some of that love
wherever you ask it.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
It is Friday, Lord.
On this day,
remind me of that Friday so long ago,
when you, presented to the people
beaten,
bloody,
shown off as a scandal
instead of a healer.
As you stood and watched the crowd
screaming for your blood,
you did not call heaven's fire
down upon their heads,
but gave them what they asked for,
your very blood
to wash all our souls clean.
Instead of wrath,
love.
Instead of retribution,
salvation.
Teach me,
unkind and unworthy as I am,
to walk in your steps,
this day,
tomorrow and forever,
that I might shed
some of that love
wherever you ask it.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Friday Meditations, Passion of Christ
Thursday, January 15, 2004
Hands of God
She has walked through the fields
and seen the withered crop
and knows the future
for her children
her life
her world.
Lord, we are in your hands,
she prays.
He has seen his family perish
buried under the rubble
with his hopes and dreams
and plans,
all gone to dust.
Lord, as you will, he prays.
I am in your hands.
The grandmother holds her grandchildren tight
as the funeral progresses,
as yet another young person
succumbs to slim,
and a warm heart is consigned to the cold ground.
Lord, she is in your hands, the old woman prays.
Yet Lord,
who are your hands upon the earth?
Is it not we who call ourselves your children?
Open our eyes that we may see with yours.
Open our hearts that we may love as you love,
Open our minds that we may see ways
to be your hands upon the earth
and always be willing to do the work
you would have us do,
now and always.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
She has walked through the fields
and seen the withered crop
and knows the future
for her children
her life
her world.
Lord, we are in your hands,
she prays.
He has seen his family perish
buried under the rubble
with his hopes and dreams
and plans,
all gone to dust.
Lord, as you will, he prays.
I am in your hands.
The grandmother holds her grandchildren tight
as the funeral progresses,
as yet another young person
succumbs to slim,
and a warm heart is consigned to the cold ground.
Lord, she is in your hands, the old woman prays.
Yet Lord,
who are your hands upon the earth?
Is it not we who call ourselves your children?
Open our eyes that we may see with yours.
Open our hearts that we may love as you love,
Open our minds that we may see ways
to be your hands upon the earth
and always be willing to do the work
you would have us do,
now and always.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Discipleship
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Jesus the Healer
Yours is the healing touch
that helps us rise from our bed,
sick with the fever
that sin always brings.
Yours is the soft word
that brings us back to our senses,
frees us from the bonds
that sin always brings.
Yours is the word of command
that calls us back from the tomb,
wrapped in the shroud of death
that sin always brings.
Lord, on this, and every day,
may I rise up
like she who was healed of her fever,
to do your bidding,
in your way,
now and forever.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Yours is the healing touch
that helps us rise from our bed,
sick with the fever
that sin always brings.
Yours is the soft word
that brings us back to our senses,
frees us from the bonds
that sin always brings.
Yours is the word of command
that calls us back from the tomb,
wrapped in the shroud of death
that sin always brings.
Lord, on this, and every day,
may I rise up
like she who was healed of her fever,
to do your bidding,
in your way,
now and forever.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Emmanuel, Jesus' Love, Suffering
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Lord,
Teach me never to be like
the servant that was forgiven much
but was unwilling to forgive.
Teach me to see with your eyes
the unloving roots of violence
and man's uncharitable acts,
how they are rooted
in anger,
and greed,
and selfish desire,
and how, if we do not follow your word
and break the chain,
they propagate
day after day,
fear after fear,
tear after long tear.
Teach me always to be your peacemaker,
and like you,
my model and my enabler,
may I always reach out with love,
and a generous hand,
and understanding,
and the willingness to forgive,
and listen
and care.
Use me, O Lord,
to break the chains
of unforgiveness and hatred
in small things as well as the large.
May I always be the instrument of your peace.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Teach me never to be like
the servant that was forgiven much
but was unwilling to forgive.
Teach me to see with your eyes
the unloving roots of violence
and man's uncharitable acts,
how they are rooted
in anger,
and greed,
and selfish desire,
and how, if we do not follow your word
and break the chain,
they propagate
day after day,
fear after fear,
tear after long tear.
Teach me always to be your peacemaker,
and like you,
my model and my enabler,
may I always reach out with love,
and a generous hand,
and understanding,
and the willingness to forgive,
and listen
and care.
Use me, O Lord,
to break the chains
of unforgiveness and hatred
in small things as well as the large.
May I always be the instrument of your peace.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Discipleship
Monday, January 12, 2004
From the waters you rose
and Heaven bent down
to note the moment.
Your being there blessed the waters
with your perfect presence,
O you who had no need to wash away life's stains,
As you gave the waters their life-giving task
of giving men new birth
into your kingdom.
Thank you Lord,
for the channels of grace
you open to us here on Earth.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
and Heaven bent down
to note the moment.
Your being there blessed the waters
with your perfect presence,
O you who had no need to wash away life's stains,
As you gave the waters their life-giving task
of giving men new birth
into your kingdom.
Thank you Lord,
for the channels of grace
you open to us here on Earth.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Jesus' Love
