Upon our hope, therefore, depends the liberty of the whole universe. Because our hope is the pledge of a new heaven and a new earth, in which all things will be what they were meant to be.
— Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island, Sentences on Hope
If my hope
Is the toe hold
The universe needs
To stay on the face
Of liberty;
Though barely a seam,
May it remain
As steadfast
As the One
Who made it
The anchor
Of my soul.
dw
Copyright © 2019, becomingflame.com
Look.
Look, patient beyond hurried moment.
Look, resistant through knee-jerk habit reaction.
Look, brave past intimidation mask.
Look, determined find human soul.
Look, soft imagine child within.
Look, surprised finding friend.
Look, humbled at God’s beloved,
image of God,
right there.
Look.Copyright © 2018, becomingflame.com
I posted this poem before, but wanted to post it again in response to the sermon I heard in last Sunday’s service. One of the themes was about being seen as we are and seeing others as they are…and I just had to share this again.
(Delvin, if you see this post, I’m so grateful for your courageous, honest, thoughtful message. I’ve known the story of Jonah for many years but you brought it to life for me in a completely new and powerful way. And you spoke things this white, male, baby boomer needed to hear. Thank you.)
dw
p.s. I’m off my normal posting schedule – life is busy with lots of great things to be busy with. Grace and peace to you…
So the soul that hopes in God already belongs to Him, and to belong to Him is the same as to possess Him, since He gives Himself completely to those who give themselves to Him.
— Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island, Sentences on Hope
We began this series on Hope with Thomas Merton telling us that hope takes everything away from us so that, in the end, we may possess everything. Here he gives us the answer to that riddle:
Hope’s mission is to lead us to the only sure hope, that the God Jesus called ‘Father’ is our God, we are his people, and he takes joy in giving us all that can truly be called Life. Any hope less than this is a distraction, a diminishing of this sure hope, the anchor of our souls.
dw
Copyright © 2018, becomingflame.com
becoming flame 