The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
As the sun went down
I considered those who loved Jesus
Those who followed him
Those who saw his lifeless body taken down from the Cross
Those who placed his body in the tomb
We have to imagine
We must put ourselves in their shoes
As the last rays of daylight faded
All they could do was pray, weep, and wonder
Lord, help us not to take you for granted
Help us not to take your love for granted
Now, as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
Oh Mary
As you held his broken body
Your tears surely fell
Just as his feet had been washed
Washed by Mary Magdalene’s tears
His pierced and broken body
Washed by the tears of his Mother
You were there
When they crucified my Lord
You were there
When they nailed him to the tree
You were there
When they pierced him in the side
You were there
When they laid him in the tomb
Oh Mary
As your heart was breaking
You were there
You were there
*****************
The pictures are from a visit in 2017 to the outdoor Stations of the Cross at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
A powerful reflection, Malcom ❤️❤️
In my Anthology of poems for Leant and Holy Week The Word in the Wilderness, I set just one of my Stations of the cross sonnets for Good Friday, Station XII, but as this blog is not so constricted for space I thought I would share with you the first 12 stations. We will read the 13th and 14th tomorrow on Holy Saturday and then on Easter Morning we will have the 15th’ resurrection’ station and also a new villanelle that I have written for easter Morning.
The Stations of the Cross, which form the core of my book Sounding the Seasons and are intended to be read on Good Friday. If you are in Cambridge today do come and join us for the three hours service at St. Bene’t’s, where we will be using some of these sonnets. The service starts at 12.
Please feel free to make use…
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You were the first to welcome him into the world
You watched him take his first steps
You were amazed at his wisdom
You watched as he taught in the Temple
You watched him apprentice with Joseph
You were so proud of the man he was becoming
You were there as he began his ministry
You watched him heal the lepers
You watched him cure so many
Then you watched and worried
The entrance into Jerusalem
The hornet’s nest is stirred up
The plotting against him
Your heart is breaking
Your heart was pierced
Simeon’s prophecy fulfilled
Oh Mary, I cannot even imagine
Watching your beloved son tortured
Watching the agony of the Cross
His last gift to you
Woman, here is your son
John will love and walk with you
He takes his last breath
Your heart breaks
The Temple curtain is torn like your heart
Into the silence and darkness you go
***************
The pictures are from the Chapel of Saint Catherine of Sienna at Saint Malo’s Retreat Center near Allenspark, Colorado
As she approached in the predawn gloom, Mary Magdalene realized that something or someone had rolled away the stone sealing Jesus’s tomb. Without investigating further, she hurried back to the disciples to report what she had seen….
Every Body is Somebody
Every Body is Somebody
— Read on jakeowensby.com/2019/04/19/every-body-is-somebody/
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
On this day we remembered
Even as we wandered in the beauty of the Rockies
Even as I prepared for worship
Even as we spent time with dear friends
Even then we remembered
Remembered how you broke the bread
Remembered how you shared the cup
Remembered how you washed our feet
Remembered how deeply you prayed
Remembered how difficult it was for you
Yes, Lord, we remembered
Help us always to remember you
Help us to love and serve as you did
Help us to remember
Help us to do this in remembrance of you
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
A beautiful reflection, Malcolm ❤️
There is so much happening here, so many threads of connection flowing to and from this deep source of love and gospel vision. my sonnet for this central and sacramental day can only suggest one or two of them.
This sonnet, and the others I have been posting for Holy Week are all drawn from my collection Sounding the Seasons, published by Canterbury Press here in England. The book is now back in stock on both Amazon UK and USA . The book is now also out on Kindle. Please feel free to make use of these sonnets in church services and to copy and share them. If you can mention the book from which they are taken that would be great.
Thanks to Lancia Smith for the image
You can hear the poem by clicking on the title or the ‘play’ button
Maundy Thursday.
Here is the…
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