All Things
A short reflection and a poem for Good Friday.
In the Nicene Creed that Catholics recite at every Mass, a line has always stuck out to me as a link to the saving power of God through nature.
…through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation…
There is a period between the two sentences, but the way I recite it (or we rush through it at Mass), it often feels like it should be a semicolon or comma because God — the creator of the universe — took on human flesh to understand us, to know us and our world, and to save us from what is broken in it. Jesus came to save us and ALL his creation.
He came to redeem ALL THINGS — to restore them to their proper function and dignity, and to remind us of his power and love. ALL THINGS were made for us men and women, and for our salvation. Have a blessed Good Friday.
All Things
the uplifted branches of a tree,
leading my eyes up to
the misty evening sky of grey, orange foam —
to worship…
or scraggled patches of grass,
digging into the soil
for drops of water that fell
just days before or long ago —
reminding me
to have faith…
it’s the golden disk of the setting sun,
calling me to surrender
at dusk, and last light —
allow the silence to seep in
to listen…
or the silver sliver of the moon
among a million stars,
many millions of years away —
other peoples?
other worlds?
inviting me to
wonder…
but often it’s in my garden,
holding simple soil in my hands
or observing the powerful beauty of spring flowers
that break through after a long winter,
reaching for the light —
reminding me always
to hope…
in all things
for our salvation.
Beautiful. Thank you!