Forgiven by the Father

Eager, stubborn the boy had left,
off to live his life he set.
From the father’s wealth he bore,
From the father’s heart he tore,
Love and hopes with tears he gave,
the son his share of what he’d saved.

The son the road quickly trod.
And spread his given wealth abroad.
Seeking pleasure and sensual gain,
Soon he found but loss and pain.

Money gone and hunger found,
In lonely places the boy did scrounge.
For wasted food with swine he fought,
as solace for his hunger sought.

The empty pangs of stomach hid,
not the pains of his heart, but bid.
Longing for the meals of home,
Even a servants place his heart did own.

Struggling in his sorrow.
Aching in his loss,
His father’s gate in humble tears,
he arose and sought.

For his son his thoughts did trend.
As his pain, his heart did rend.
Looking, watching the homeward path
His wearied hopes could not slack.

Then one day, his eyes with tears did fill.
With joy and love did they spill.
For up the road in rags so humbled,
the son he sought did weakly stumble.

Running fast his child to embrace
the father ran the eager race.
In broken sorrow his child had trod.
In love and joy the father called,
My son!

"Will you trust Me?"

For the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time ~ 9 September 2007 ~

WILL YOU TRUST ME?

“Will you trust me?”
Was the gentle query,
that was heard,
when one day,
upon Christ,
my Love,
I awaited.
No audible words.
No rush of angels wings,
upon the wind,
was felt,
or heard.

It was in the woods,
our time together,
in the early evening.
I had shared my prayers,
in my end of the work day
weary, dusty, praise.
Hungering for Him,
His Word,
His Presence,
His Love.
Yet, feeling, knowing
my failures,
my weakness,
my fears.
I felt so deeply,
the silence.
I heard so clearly,
nothing.

Weary tears
of hopeless love
spilled from within
my soul of longing.
Past the time
I should return
to my quarters,
yet unfelt,
a gently strong hand
Kept me
in the darkening wood
of longing.
Then, in the shadow,
of His Wood,
my heart heard
the whisper,
“Will you trust Me?”
“Will you follow Me”?

Unseeing,
Unknowing,
Yet with the eternal clarity
And hope
of Love,
Yes, I said.
I will trust You.
I will follow You.

Then remembering
my true self
I cried.
But Lord,
I do not understand.
How can I?
You know….
me.

Then again,
His eyes upon me,
Smiling.
I heard.
“Will you trust me?”
“I do understand,
I know you,
I created you.
Follow Me”.

Then I saw the wood.
Red with His blood.
And I followed Him.

Sweetheart of Jesus,
Be my Love.

And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”. Mk. 8:34 RSV