Original Blessing

“...stooping very low, [God] engraves with care

[the Sacred ]Name, indelible, upon our dust;

And from the ashes of our self-despair,

Kindles a flame of hope and humble trust.

[God} seeks no second site on which to build,

But on the old foundation, stone by stone,

Cementing sad experience with grace,

Fashions a stronger temple of [God’s] own.”

 Patricia St. John

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Earth

and Earth’s inhabitants

are permeated with Sacred

we may be dust

but we are Sacred dust

and that power in which all

live and breathe and have being

claims us

embraces us

coming to us in the profound chaos of life

coming, into the midst of the

ooze and slime and old decay (CS Lewis)

coming down into the midst of our pain

our fear

our hurt

coming down into our hearts

where we lust for power and wealth

where we hate

and touching all of that with its very essence

Love

It is this touch

Palatable at times

Unfelt at others

That kindles hope

And opens up those tiny portals

Where love and trust can enter

It is this presence which heals

Restores

Reconciles

Recreates

Bringing us back to that original blessing

Making new creations out of the rubble

of our failure, and trauma, our “sad experience”

Ah, Holy Spirit

Ah, Sacred Presence

Come

Come as fire, roaring

Come as wind, rushing

Come as love, embrace

Come