Category: Uncategorized (Page 9 of 11)

Today, Catholics around the world celebrate the joyous Assumption of Mary, Mother of God, into Heaven.

At the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken up (assumed) into heaven, body and soul. Pope Pius XII, in defining the Assumption, explains that, “Just as the glorious resurrection of Christ was an essential part and final sign of this victory [over sin and death by Calvary], so that struggle [Calvary] which was common to the Blessed Virgin and her Son, had to be closed by the glorification of her virginal body. [As a result, just as Jesus is now King of the Universe, Mary is Queen of the Universe.] … And her kingdom is as vast as that of her Son and God, since nothing is excluded from her dominion.” (Pope Pius XII, Radio Message to Fatima, “Bendito Seia,” May 13, 1946)

Dearest Mother, we love you. As we contemplate your assumption, body and soul, into Heaven, please strengthen and renew in all of us the desire to be made worthy of the promises of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Enlighten the uncertainties of our minds with your wisdom. Strengthen the weaknesses of our hearts with your power. And fill us with greater faith, hope and love. Amen.

“The Lord watches over you … the Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121: 5, 7-8

Yes! Remember that always – that out of darkness I am leading you to light. Out of unrest to rest, out of disorder to order. Out of faults and failure to perfection. So trust Me wholly. Fear nothing. Hope ever. Look ever up to Me and I will be your sure aid. I and My Father are One … and you are Mine.¹

From God Calling, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

For all of us, the closer we stay to Jesus each day, the more our trust in His Love for us grows. Spending even 10 minutes with Jesus each morning can dramatically change the course of our days. When trouble arrives, turning to Jesus for support enables Him to show us the way through the problem and back to peace.

When our sinful natures get us into trouble, it can be hard to turn back to Jesus. It’s natural to feel unworthy of His Love. So often, when we peel away the layers of what threatens to keep us from Jesus, we find this sense of unworthiness at the core of our separation.

The truth is we are unworthy of His Love, even when we are not sinning. God is so Pure and so Good. In the Old Testament’s Book of Exodus, which Moses wrote as a lasting memorial of God’s goodness, Moses sings these words to God:

“Who among the gods is like You, O Lord? Who is like You – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” Exodus 15: 11

Moses loved God so much. He understood that God is so Holy that we cannot be in His Presence, if we are not holy too. God’s Holiness is so complete and so powerful that we simply could not withstand its force, if we were to enter into His Presence in our sinfulness, for sin cannot co-exist with God. Remember the stunning scene where Moses encounters God in the burning bush:

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bus does not burn up.’ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’ ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then He said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus 3: 1-6

It is humbling to observe Moses, the very keeper of God’s Ten Commandments, tremble in fear and shame, in the presence of God. Moses was aware of his own sinfulness, but he refused to let his weaknesses separate him from God, and the plans that God had for his life. We know from the Old Testament stories that Moses was faithful to and stayed close to God until the end.

How can we remain faithful to God? How can we keep turning back to Him, even when we do not feel worthy of His Love?

It is Jesus who opens the door for us to one day stand in God’s presence. God sent Jesus to earth, in human form, to plainly show us how to live good and holy lives. As Jesus dies for our sins and is resurrected by God, He offers us a path to strive for holiness and to experience fully the Love that God has for each one of us.

Jesus offers us God’s Love freely, loving us as the Father has loved Him. Throughout His time on earth, Jesus shows us over and again that life with God is not out of reach for us if we remain in Jesus’ Love. (John 15: 9)

How do we remain in Jesus’ Love? By following God’s Commands – and in particular, Jesus’ command to love one another as Jesus loves us, and as we love ourselves. Jesus comes into the world to help us to understand the Ten Commandments on an even deeper and more personal level. Take for example Jesus’ teaching on adultery:

“’You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’” Matthew 5: 27-28

Or Jesus’ teaching on murder:

“’You have heard it said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with is brother will be subject to judgment.’” Matthew 5: 21-22

Jesus is warning us about the dangers of solely following the legalistic and public parameters of the Ten Commandments. He is asking us to also live out God’s Commands in our hearts. Jesus shows us that tending to our hearts and our thoughts enables us to truly love one another. He shows us the power of our hearts to influence behaviors that enable good things to happen for those around us.

It is easy to become burdened with sinfulness. But Jesus also confirms that it is completely in our power to overcome our sinful natures. The Gospel of John recounts a story of a woman caught in adultery. Jesus forgives her and says the following:

“’Go now and leave your life of sin.’” John 1: 11

Jesus says the same thing to all of us:

“’Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’” Matthew 11: 28-30

In the midst of a noisy, chaotic, and sometimes frightening world, Jesus’ promise may seem too good to be true. And yet here He is, the Son of God, still calling each one of us closer to Him, despite our imperfect lives. In asking us to take up His yoke, Jesus is asking for our permission to let Him guide our days, for He knows the good plans the Father has for us. (Jeremiah 29: 11) He is promising that our burdens will be light if we live in His Love.

Jesus is also promising that He is capable of giving us everything we need to lead great lives – and to make the lives of those around us more beautiful.

Are Jesus’ promises too good to be true?

The way I see it, there is only one way to find out.

If you are already living your life with Jesus, go deeper into relationship with Him.

If you are living life on your own, ask Jesus to walk with you, and see where He leads you.

For Jesus says, “’Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.’” Matthew 7: 7-8

Some days are just easier than others to follow Jesus. If we’re honest with ourselves, we all know this is true! Some days are filled with sunshine and simple joys that make it easy to love one another and to be good.

Other days are more trying. We struggle against others as we attempt to respond gracefully in less-than-ideal situations. We struggle against ourselves – and even against Jesus – as we face temptations and trials big and small.

All of us will face challenges. There are so many things happening around us that are completely out of our control. Jesus plainly acknowledges this:   

“’In this world you will have trouble.’” John 16: 33

When difficulties arise, I try to place my trust fully in Jesus. St. Paul reminds us that God will never give us more than we can handle:

“God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted [and tested] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted [and tested], He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10: 13

When trouble arrives, turning to Jesus for support enables Him to show us the way through the problem and back to peace. I cherish these words from St. Peter:

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you [alone] … for the God of all grace … after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 4: 12, 1 Peter 5: 10

Jesus loves us so much. In fact, He loves us more than we can ever imagine.

Because God loves us so much, we are capable of love in stronger and deeper ways each day. Through love and in love, we are capable of overcoming the greatest difficulties and temptations.

Thank you for loving us, Jesus.

Jesus said, “’I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’” John 16: 33

As we choose to draw closer to God, it is common to experience some trepidation about how things will change for us.  

Early in my own walk with God, after receiving a message from Him on a highway of all places, I recorded these words in my journal:

“I think what makes me nervous about all of this is not being sure of the path I will walk, and who will walk with me. Help me to believe, and to not be afraid. And thank you for the angels You have already placed in my path.”

Jesus plainly tells us that to follow Him, we must be willing to place Him above all else in our lives:

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.’” Luke 14: 25-27

These words recorded by St. Luke are so powerful. Educated as a physician in the Greek city of Antioch, which is part of modern-day Turkey, St. Luke is acknowledged by literature and archeology scholars alike as one of the top historians of his time. While some traditions espouse that Luke was a direct disciple of Jesus, others teach that Luke became a believer after the ascension of Jesus into heaven. However all agree that the precision and diligence of St. Luke in recording the history of Jesus is second to none, which makes this passage even more powerful.

Place yourself there in the scene that Luke describes:

The crowd is large and everyone is excited to be with Jesus. He proclaims to be the Son of God, as prophesied in the ancient texts of the Old Testament. With great authority and passion, Jesus teaches about the way to eternal life with God. When asked which of God’s commandments are the greatest, Jesus replies, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart; and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22: 34-40)

You are there in the crowd, talking with the others – Yes, we can do this. We can love God and love one another. This doesn’t seem too difficult. We’ve got this! Let’s follow Jesus!

But then Jesus turns around and walks up to you, having overhead your conversation. He calls you by name and looks you squarely in the eyes, and says – You cannot be my disciple unless you are willing to love Me more than every other person – and every other thing – in your life. So if your spouse or your parents or your friends ask you not to follow Me, you must be willing to disobey them. And if I ask you to sell all the treasures you cherish and donate that money to the poor, you must be willing to do that. Do you understand what I am asking you to do? I want you to put Me first in your life. Do you still want to follow Me?  

His words are emotionally charged because Jesus is trying to make a point – If you want to share in the Kingdom of Heaven, then Jesus must come first. Period.

Sensing your hesitation, Jesus’ eyes never leave yours. You cannot find your words and your mind is racing – What?! Wait a minute … What about my family? My job? What about what I want? I thought we just had to love God and each other. What?!

You step back from Jesus and say to Him – Let me think about this a little more.

Jesus looks away for a moment and turns back to you, His eyes filled with emotion. He says quietly – Always know how much I love you. He then disappears into the crowd.

After all these years of loving Him, I can still find myself standing back there in the crowd, hesitant to acknowledge what He is placing on my heart. The noise of the crowd can be deafening. But I call for Him and above the noise, I hear Jesus’ voice:

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41: 10) I am faithful and will not allow you to be tested beyond your strength. (1 Corinthians 10: 13) Keep your faith in Me and you will be able to love and to do the things that I am doing. In fact, you will do even greater things than these. (John 14: 12) My grace is sufficient for you; understand that My power is made perfect in your weakness. (2 Corinthians 12: 9) So lay all your anxieties on Me because I care for you. (1 Peter 5: 7) Believe that whatever you ask of Me in prayer, it will be yours. (Mark 11: 24) Never, ever forget who you are. I have called you by name, and you are Mine.” (Isaiah 43: 1)

Following Jesus changes things for all of us, in ways big and small, every day of our lives. If we allow them to, these changes open our hearts and minds, enabling us to experience a fullness of life and love like nothing we have ever imagined.

Jesus loves us so much.

Pray for us, St. Luke, that we may always believe and trust in His Love.

“Having loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them [and continues to love with His Perfect Love] to the end [for all eternity]. John 13: 1

Love explained all for me, all was resolved by love, so this love I adore wherever it may be.

I am open space for a placid tide where no wave roars, clutching at rainbow branches. Now a soothing wave uncovers light in the deep and breathes light onto unsilvered leaves.

In such silence I hide, a leaf released from the wind, no longer anxious for the days that fall. They must all fall, I know.

St. John Paul II, The Place Within¹

¹St. John Paul II, “Shores of Silence,” in The Place Within: The Poetry of Pope John Paul II, Translated by Jerzy Peterkiewicz (New York: Random House, 1982), p. 6.

Learning to walk with and keep close to God – and to place my fears in God’s hands – continues to be a journey for me.

While Jesus lived and taught on earth, He made it a point to tell us that God does not want us to worry and to be loaded down with fear:

“’Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?’” Matthew 6: 25-27

The world can be a confusing and demanding place. I was raised in a loving and faithful family. And yet in my 20s and most of my 30s, I could feel myself growing distant from God. I was in and out of church. I would periodically ask God for help with decisions, but there never seemed to be enough time to wait on His answers. I am not even sure I expected that He would reply to my questions. Certainly, God had bigger, more important things to manage. I was running fast, trying to figure out things on my own.

When my marriage sadly ended in divorce, I separated even further from God. Through my divorce, I feared that I had committed a sin too grievous to be forgiven. More and more, I began to think of God solely as judge and jury, but not as Father and confidante. For some time, I toiled alone in the world, buried in my work and afraid to draw too close to anyone, including God, for fear that they would let me down – or even worse, that I would fail them.

One morning, sitting on my driveway, I read something in a book from my younger sister about how God does not merely want to help us to climb over and around the mountains in our lives – God wants to remove the mountains from our paths. What?! I thought about that as I watched water droplets glistening on the flowers in the early morning sunshine. My sister kept giving me books about God, and I am forever grateful to her for that. I wondered what it would be like to lean on Him.

Can I really turn my struggles and fears over to God? Does He want to be involved in my everyday life and work? How would placing my trust in God change things for me, and for those around me? Do I want to become vulnerable again by leaning on someone else, even if that someone else is God?

As my fear swelled up, I tried to shrug off the notion of inviting God into my world. I remained fairly certain that God was focused on more important things. I also worried that He was still disappointed in me about the divorce. And yet I closed my eyes and wished, with all my heart, that God could hear and help me.

Can I lean on You, God? Are You really there? Will you help me? I need Your help.

And then, I felt God wash over my heart.

I suddenly realized I was not alone. I opened my eyes, looking all around. In a way that I cannot fully describe, I felt God’s presence so distinctly. With His presence came a deep, unfamiliar sense of peace.

I felt loved, completely.

I closed my eyes again and silently asked God to walk with me and to help me.

And then I waited. I was not sure what would happen next, but I knew He was still with me on that driveway. I sat there quietly in His Presence for some time.

Somewhere deep inside, I sensed my life was about to change. I decided to not allow my fears to deter any changes that God wanted to make in my life. As long as I live, I will never forget that morning. God responded to my cry for help in full love, just as He responds to all who call for Him. His Love continues to change the path of my life, as I learn more and more to place my trust in Him every day.

Years later, I now understand that the only reasonable fear any of us should possess is the fear of separating ourselves from the love and peace of God. In fact, our Parish Pastor recently said these words to us:

“Never let anything or anyone come between your soul and Jesus. Never, ever let yourself become separated from God. The only thing that we should fear is not finding our way to eternal life with the Father.”

Our Pastor’s words made me think of that morning on my driveway.

God loves all of us so much. And yes, we should have no doubt that God will be the final judge of our lives and hearts, for the Bible’s writers tell us this throughout the Old and New Testaments:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” 2 Corinthians 5: 10

The Bible’s writers also tell us over and again that God is a Father of Mercy:

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” Isaiah 30: 18 … “And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.” Luke 1: 50

God loves you so deeply. Always know that.

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Look to Him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” Psalm 34: 4-7

Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing upset you. Everything changes. God alone is unchanging. With patience and love all things are possible. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone is enough.

St. Teresa of Avila, Spain

On my knees in the garden, I slowly turn the rich, fertile dirt with my hand shovel. The trees behind me are alive with an impromptu concert of birds singing their sweet songs. I hear the snap of a stick breaking and stop digging so that I can concentrate fully on listening. I close my eyes and remain still, with my back to the trees. A few more sticks snap as the Mama deer and her fawn draw closer to me. Our woods is their home during the summer, and I have come to know the sounds of the deer walking there.

I remain still and silent, with my back to the trees. Soon I hear the small warning snort from the Mama deer. She has spotted me in my garden. I hear the rush of their bodies running back through the woods and away from me. I smile as I think of their gentle beauty.

My thoughts turn then to you, Father, and the story of You walking in the Garden of Eden, looking for Adam and Eve:

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’ He [the Lord God] said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.’ Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’” Genesis 3: 8-13

A tragedy is unfolding there. You can hear the agony in God’s voice as He realizes that Adam and Eve have eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – the one tree from which He has forbidden them to eat. God has told Adam that if he eats from the tree, “you will surely die.” (Genesis 2: 15-17) As we know, later on, the serpent tricks Eve into believing that she will not die if she eats from the tree, but rather will become like God, “knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3: 1-6)

We are witnessing the fall of humanity in these verses.

But take heart and look closely again at the Scripture verses above in italics. These verses reveal that before the fall, the sound of God walking in the garden was familiar to Adam and Eve. They knew the sound of God’s footsteps and of His voice. Perhaps the three met in the garden every day, in the coolness of the early evening, to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. These verses undeniably reveal that in the beginning, God intended to have a direct and physical relationship with His creation. Let your heart contemplate this stunning reality for a moment.

Can you imagine hearing God’s footsteps drawing near to you? Or walking and talking with Him, outside among the trees and the birds, as the day closes? Can you imagine the sound of His voice? Or the sound of His laughter?

I treasure these verses in Genesis because they confirm that God wants a very personal and full relationship with us. He wants to love us and to be loved by us.

And yet from the very beginning of the Bible, within the Book of Genesis (the first book of the Old Testament), we are taught that the potential for love can only exist alongside the potential for rejection. True love can never be forced.

It is humbling to realize that even God – our Creator who forms us from the dust of the ground and literally breathes into our nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2: 7) – cannot force us to love Him. God has given us the gift of free will. Because of this, the choice between death and immortality is set before each one of us.

We must consciously choose to love – to love the Father, and to love one another.

God understands that we do not always make good choices. It is striking to observe that as soon as sin enters the world through Adam and Eve, God introduces His plan for the gift of redemption:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3: 15

For centuries now, Christian scholars and theologians have viewed this text as a foreshadowing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – and in particular, of Jesus’ victory over Satan. From that moment onward, the world’s faithful have lived with the hope and promise of redemption.

God loves us so much. Despite what must have been His immense sadness over the choices made by Adam and Eve, Genesis 3 concludes with these words:

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he has been taken. After He drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3: 21-24

I imagine tears streaming down God’s cheeks as he prepares some clothing for Adam and Eve. Shortly thereafter, God tells His beloved creation that they must leave the paradise He has created for them. After Adam and Eve leave the Garden of Eden, God then separates physically from His human creation. His daily walks and talks with Adam and Eve seem to end. The stories of the Old Testament testify to the agony of this self-imposed separation from God the Father.

And yet the promise and hope of redemption remains strong throughout the Old Testament. The ancient prophet Micah prophesies about God’s return to the physical earth, through His Son, Jesus:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5: 2

The return of Jesus to the earth fulfills God’s promises of love and redemption.

I am sitting now in my garden, with my eyes on the path that leads into the woods. The journey of life, while beautiful, is filled with choices. The world can be a confusing place and not all choices are simple and straight-forward. We must all watch for the little signs from Jesus that appear everywhere. We must listen for the words that the Holy Spirit places on our hearts. And if we find ourselves becoming distracted and slipping away from God, we must go running back to Him.

He is always, always there waiting for us and loving us deeply.

I am praying, for you and for me, that throughout our lives, we experience the grace of holiness and  love. I pray that at the end of our lives, we hear God’s footsteps quickening in the Garden, as He calls us each by name, to eternal life with Him.

I am forever grateful that we have Jesus to lead us home.

We are loved, deeply.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd

You are my trusted shepherd, Jesus, and because of this, there is nothing that I want. You prepare a resting place for me in green pastures and lead me beside quiet waters, and You restore my soul when I am sad and weary.

Jesus, you guide me plainly along the paths of goodness and light, and I follow you freely, for even the whisper of Your name brings me indescribable joy. I am not afraid, as I walk through the valley of darkness, for I know that You are with me; I am comforted by the knowledge that you will correct and guide me as I make my way.

You prepare a table before me, filling my heart with peace in the presence of those who would mock and hate me. You anoint my head with the finest of oil; my heart overflows with the knowledge of Your love for me. I am confident that your goodness and love will follow me, all the days of my life, and I long to dwell with you in Paradise, forever. Thank you for loving me, Jesus.

– Author’s adaptation of Psalm 23

When I find myself wanting to encounter God in a more direct way, I head outside. God is always there, waiting for me to find a place to sit and settle myself – and to let go of myself – so that He can fill up my ears with the sweet songs of the birds and the wisdom of the trees.

It is when I step away from myself and into nature that I am most able to observe His ways.

Mary Oliver, an American poet who won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, wrote tirelessly about the wonders of nature. Although she did not appear to prescribe to any particular religion, her writing became more and more spiritual as the years passed. She died in 2019, at the age of 83.

I cherish her poetry because over and again, she reminds her readers that the answers we seek are right before us, within our natural world. We just need to step outside and slow down – way down – and open our hearts to what God is trying to show us.

“At The River Clarion,” from Evidence, Poems by Mary Oliver¹

1. I don’t know who God is exactly. But I’ll tell you this. I was sitting in the river named Clarion, on a water splashed stone and all afternoon I listened to the voices of the river talking. Whenever the water struck the stone it had something to say, and the water itself, and even the mosses trailing under the water.

And slowly, very slowly, it became clear to me what they were saying. Said the river: I am part of the holiness. And I too, said the stone. And I too, whispered the moss beneath the water.

I’d been to the river before, a few times. Don’t blame the river that nothing happened quickly. You don’t hear such voices in an hour or a day. You don’t hear them at all if selfhood has stuffed your ears. And it’s difficult to hear anything anyway, through all the traffic, and ambition.

2. If God exists he isn’t just butter and good luck. He’s also the tick that killed my wonderful dog Luke. Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going.

Imagine how the lily (who may also be a part of God) would sing to you if she could sing, if you would pause to hear it. And how are you so certain anyway that it doesn’t sing?

If God exists, he isn’t just churches and mathematics. He’s the forest. He’s the desert. He’s the ice caps, that are dying. He’s the ghetto and the Museum of Fine Arts.

He’s van Gogh and Allen Ginsberg and Robert Motherwell. He’s the many desperate hands, cleaning and preparing their weapons. He’s every one of us, potentially. The leaf of grass, the genius, the politician, the poet. And if this is true, isn’t it something very important?

Yes, it could be that I am a tiny piece of God, and each of you too, or at least of his intention and his hope. Which is a delight beyond measure. I don’t know how you get to suspect such an idea. I only know that the river kept singing. It wasn’t a persuasion, it was all the river’s own constant joy which was better by far than a lecture, which was comfortable, exciting, unforgettable.

3. Of course for each of us, there is the daily life. Let us live it, gesture by gesture. When we cut the ripe melon, should we not give it thanks? And should we not thank the knife also? We do not live in a simple world.

4. There was someone I loved who grew old and ill. One by one I watched the fires go out. There was nothing I could do except to remember that we receive then we give back.

5. My dog Luke lies in a grave in the forest, she is given back. But the river Clarion still flows from wherever it comes from to where it has been told to go. I pray for the desperate earth. I pray for the desperate world. I do the little each person can do, it isn’t much. Sometimes the river murmurs, sometimes it raves.

6. Along its shores were, may I say, very intense cardinal flowers. And trees, and birds that have wings to uphold them, for heaven’s sakes – the lucky ones: they have such deep natures, they are so happily obedient. While I sit here in a house filled with books, ideas, doubts, hesitations.

7. And still, pressed deep into my mind, the river keeps coming, touching me, passing by on its long journey, its pale, infallible voice singing.

¹Mary Oliver, “At the River Clarion,” in Evidence: Poems by Mary Oliver (Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 2009), pp. 51-54.