Friday, April 02, 2004
Thoughts on the Fifth Station of the Cross: Simon of Cyrene
Perhaps he had heard you preach
the week before,
as you proclaimed the good news
in the temple.
Or perhaps he had been busy
working in the fields
and had no time for the latest gossip
as the city swelled with pilgrims
and the feast neared.
Dusky skinned and dusty from his work,
grabbed by the Roman guard
to insure that you would live
long enough for them to kill you,
did he look at you,
bloodied, beaten, exhausted,
so close to the edge of death,
with disgust and fear,
or did you see a twinkle of compassion
cross his eyes
as they cut the ropes tieing the heavy beam
to your arms,
and laid it across his shoulders.
And did the walk the last bit of the way
with women crying and people jeering
cause him to look at you anew,
to lose his anger
and feel grief and sorrow take its place
as the sad procession wound its way to the end?
Amazing,
that we still remember
this poor man,
servant in the fields
long after so many others have passed into dust,
because your life touched his.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Perhaps he had heard you preach
the week before,
as you proclaimed the good news
in the temple.
Or perhaps he had been busy
working in the fields
and had no time for the latest gossip
as the city swelled with pilgrims
and the feast neared.
Dusky skinned and dusty from his work,
grabbed by the Roman guard
to insure that you would live
long enough for them to kill you,
did he look at you,
bloodied, beaten, exhausted,
so close to the edge of death,
with disgust and fear,
or did you see a twinkle of compassion
cross his eyes
as they cut the ropes tieing the heavy beam
to your arms,
and laid it across his shoulders.
And did the walk the last bit of the way
with women crying and people jeering
cause him to look at you anew,
to lose his anger
and feel grief and sorrow take its place
as the sad procession wound its way to the end?
Amazing,
that we still remember
this poor man,
servant in the fields
long after so many others have passed into dust,
because your life touched his.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Thursday, April 01, 2004
Walk With Me, Lord
Walk with me, Lord,
as I go through my day.
Be there with each step,
no matter how trivial
no matter how grave.
Give me your patience
when I feel the irritation surging,
give me your wisdom
when I want to say the wrong word,
give me your endurance
when I want to play when I should work.
Help me to love,
in the way I interact with those around me,
in the plans I make,
in how I use my assets.
Bring your own precious self to mind
as I work through this day,
and let me never forget
how you might present yourself
through the needs of another,
and at the end of the day,
may I know
I have spent the day in your company
and thus rest contented
in the palm of your hand.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Walk with me, Lord,
as I go through my day.
Be there with each step,
no matter how trivial
no matter how grave.
Give me your patience
when I feel the irritation surging,
give me your wisdom
when I want to say the wrong word,
give me your endurance
when I want to play when I should work.
Help me to love,
in the way I interact with those around me,
in the plans I make,
in how I use my assets.
Bring your own precious self to mind
as I work through this day,
and let me never forget
how you might present yourself
through the needs of another,
and at the end of the day,
may I know
I have spent the day in your company
and thus rest contented
in the palm of your hand.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Thoughts on the Passion, Springtime and Bearing Fruit
Dear Lord,
Here it is,
spring once again.
Interesting how you died in the spring,
when the weather was changing,
and the moon was full,
and like a seed,
planted in a tomb
to rise up,
our salvation
the first fruits
of God's love.
The soil beneath my hoe
is damp and dark
through much use,
fertilized and composted.
In a similar way,
you feed my soul
with prayer,
and fasting
and Eucharist
and your holy word.
May the garden of my heart,
the depths of my soul
bear the fruit you desire.
This day, and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Here it is,
spring once again.
Interesting how you died in the spring,
when the weather was changing,
and the moon was full,
and like a seed,
planted in a tomb
to rise up,
our salvation
the first fruits
of God's love.
The soil beneath my hoe
is damp and dark
through much use,
fertilized and composted.
In a similar way,
you feed my soul
with prayer,
and fasting
and Eucharist
and your holy word.
May the garden of my heart,
the depths of my soul
bear the fruit you desire.
This day, and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Discipleship, Passion of Christ
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
From Jericho to Jerusalem
Jesus!
How did you take that long road,
step by step,
mile by mile,
all the way from Jericho
to Jerusalem,
listening to your followers bicker,
seeing the crowd grow up
as you neared the city
and the festival time grew close,
knowing exactly what was awaiting you
that dark night
in the garden,
and at the hill the next day?
How did you not scream
in anger and angst
against the fate that awaited you,
a fate you gave your assent to,
a fate you knew would be so horrible
to carry out.
Ultimate Martyr,
witness to the Father's mercy
bought with your suffering,
ultimate sacrifice,
paying the price by your blood,
drop by drop.
how the Father glorified you,
and lifted you high,
all for love.
O burning flame of love,
that could motivate you forward
on that dusty road
from Jericho
to Jerusalem.
forgive me Lord,
when I forget
the depths of your love
and take it for granted,
when it was given freely
with such pain,
and care
and grief.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Jesus!
How did you take that long road,
step by step,
mile by mile,
all the way from Jericho
to Jerusalem,
listening to your followers bicker,
seeing the crowd grow up
as you neared the city
and the festival time grew close,
knowing exactly what was awaiting you
that dark night
in the garden,
and at the hill the next day?
How did you not scream
in anger and angst
against the fate that awaited you,
a fate you gave your assent to,
a fate you knew would be so horrible
to carry out.
Ultimate Martyr,
witness to the Father's mercy
bought with your suffering,
ultimate sacrifice,
paying the price by your blood,
drop by drop.
how the Father glorified you,
and lifted you high,
all for love.
O burning flame of love,
that could motivate you forward
on that dusty road
from Jericho
to Jerusalem.
forgive me Lord,
when I forget
the depths of your love
and take it for granted,
when it was given freely
with such pain,
and care
and grief.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, March 29, 2004
A Homespun Meditation
Sometimes, Lord, I wonder,
as I sweep the floors,
fold the clothes,
wash the dishes,
I wonder how well this serves you,
who I so deeply want to serve,
who I so deeply want to please.
And yet,
here with this husband who loves me,
and the children who need a mother
this is where you put me,
moved me 2000 miles across a continent
to find husband
and children
and a new life,
so this too must be important work.
You who care for the sparrow,
who saw the need of a grieving man
and a lonely woman -
this lets me know
how it is all important,
those figures standing tall in the press and in the news,
and those jobs which seem so little and mundane,
washing socks with love,
cooking dinner,
making beds
and caring for those around me counts too,
and in your scheme of things,
who am I to know which is the more important,
except that they all be done with your love,
through your power,
for your glory.
Thank you Lord,
for sanctifying
even the cup of water given in your name,
that holiness isn't necessarily found
in being famous for our deeds, words, writings, actions,
but in loving as you loved us.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Sometimes, Lord, I wonder,
as I sweep the floors,
fold the clothes,
wash the dishes,
I wonder how well this serves you,
who I so deeply want to serve,
who I so deeply want to please.
And yet,
here with this husband who loves me,
and the children who need a mother
this is where you put me,
moved me 2000 miles across a continent
to find husband
and children
and a new life,
so this too must be important work.
You who care for the sparrow,
who saw the need of a grieving man
and a lonely woman -
this lets me know
how it is all important,
those figures standing tall in the press and in the news,
and those jobs which seem so little and mundane,
washing socks with love,
cooking dinner,
making beds
and caring for those around me counts too,
and in your scheme of things,
who am I to know which is the more important,
except that they all be done with your love,
through your power,
for your glory.
Thank you Lord,
for sanctifying
even the cup of water given in your name,
that holiness isn't necessarily found
in being famous for our deeds, words, writings, actions,
but in loving as you loved us.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Jesus My Light
O Lord,
Light of the world,
help me to follow you
this day and always,
for where you are
the darkness cannot be,
for where you are,
there is life.
O Jesus,
let thoughts of you and your light
permeate my day,
color my actions,
shape my words,
fill my heart.
Shape me Lord
into a lantern
that carries your light
to those around me.
This day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Lord,
Light of the world,
help me to follow you
this day and always,
for where you are
the darkness cannot be,
for where you are,
there is life.
O Jesus,
let thoughts of you and your light
permeate my day,
color my actions,
shape my words,
fill my heart.
Shape me Lord
into a lantern
that carries your light
to those around me.
This day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
