Still and burnished as a mirror,
Until the Holy Breath breathed words
Over the unformed void
Stirring it up,
Singing to it like a mother to her child:
Earth brought forth from her slumber
Hallowed and cherished and tumbled
By that divine Spirit, restless in creativity.
An ark,
Adrift after an eternity of rain,
Buffeted by the waves
That once again were driven and formed
By the Wind of God into subsidence, until
Bumping ashore on a high hill
To begin again.
A prophet
Feels the mountains shake and nearly split
At the press of that same gale,
But now
Lays down his mantle
And jumps astride that zephyr
As it carries him from the bonds of earth.
Hearts
Of the faithful
Locked behind doors
Cannot withstand that Spirit
When She lights upon crown and brow,
Set minds aflame like wildfire through dry sage
Breathing tongues of truth
That carry them out into the streets, rejoicing.
That same Spirit
Split the heavens at His baptism
Split the Temple curtain at His death,
Stirred and soothed the grasses
Where his pierced feet pass at His rising.
Break open the turbulent hearts
From the men and women who still are willing
To let the Spirit fill them like a sail
And carry them out rejoicing,
Four Strong Winds
of God.
God is still speaking new life
Into goodness and blessing,
Carrying us over the waters of chaos.
Make us brave as Elijah,
Bold enough to ride
The wild goose a-winging heavenward,
Obedient and yielding to God’s love
That takes us where it will,
Stirring the waters of baptism,
Revealing among us a new Creation,
If we consent to be filled.
Fill us and renew us
Knit together as one
As Christ’s Body,
In Love’s Name,
O Spirit of the Living God.
A version of this poem was first published on Episcopal Cafe's Speaking to the Soul on May 20, 2021.
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