#holyweek
Remember Death... Remember to Live
Today is a day of reflection and remembrance of death, of the frailty and fleeting nature of earthly life. Jesus is dead. Some feel the pain and loss, some carry on with life, but everyone is changed. Jesus was only thirty-three when he died and had only been in his public ministry for three years. I don't know how it was back then, but by today's standards, that's awfully young. I've known several people who were quite young who have passed away recently, and it makes me stop and wonder "What am I doing with my life?" Am I focusing on what really matters or am I not utilizing well what precious little time I have? It is important to remember that we will die, and things of this world are fleeting that it may temper our lives, but we should also focus on making the most of life. Live, love, hurt, laugh, cry: all of these things help us know we are truly alive. It is not just physical death that is important to remember either. Sin causes spiritual death, and true love is sacrificial: dying to oneself for the joy and well-being of another. Jesus died to give us life. His life was His love and He gave it away. Jesus gave us everything. We can and ought to give something back to him because "we would have nothing, nothing, nothing if we didn't have Him". Jesus died to nail our sins upon the cross and as we die with Christ, so too will we rise with Him. May God help us to die to ourselves and live for others. When we live for others, we also live for God: "Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me". I pray that at the end of your life, that you don't have any regrets for wanting to do something and not doing it. Don't forget to tell your parents, your spouse, your family and friends that you love them and cherish them. Call that person, that friend that you haven't talked to in years. Be generous and compassionate to the person on the street. Don't wait, because tomorrow could be too late. We are not promised tomorrow, we are only promised right now. We are only promised today. So, today and everyday we pray: Memento Mori... Memento Vivere.
Remember Death, but most importantly... Remember to Live!
Amen
Dec 1, 2024
Dec 1, 2024 at 9:09 PM UTC
Naririnig ko na ang awit ng mga anghel
Naaaninag na ang liwanag,
sikat ng araw ay tila ginto at kahel.
Maniwala ka, babalikan kita,
katulad ng pagbalik ng alon sa baybay.
Maniwala ka, hahanapin kita,
katulad ng paru-paro sa bulaklak.
Naririnig mo na ba ang yapak ng aking paa?
Handa na bang maaninag ang aking mukha?
Masilayan ngiti kong 'singtamis ng ubas?
Maniwala ka, hindi kita nilisan,
katulad ng hangin, lagi mo akong kapiling.
Maniwala ka, hindi kita lilisanin kailanman,
katulad ng oras, laging tatakbo sa iyong tabi.
Binasbasan mo ako ng haplos mo,
binasbasan din kita ng puso ko.
Ito na ang langit, ito ang paraiso.
Nandito na tayo, hindi na lalayo.
Isusulat ko at ipapahayag sa lahat,
babaguhin ang bawat aklat.
Pag-ibig ko'y ipagmalaki at iulat,
kaluwalhatian ng pag-ibig ay ibunyag.
Sa pagbalik ko
at sa pagbalik mo
sa piling ko,
at sa kaligayahan mo...
Mananatili, walang pasubali
Magwawagi, walang makakapigil
Sa muli **** pagdating
at sa pagkikitang muli
sa kaharian mo,
at sa kaluwalhatian mo...
Aawit ng papuri, mabagal at mabilis
Aawit ng himnong walang mintis
Mar 31, 2024
Mar 31, 2024 at 4:36 AM UTC
Mientras no estás,
tengo confesiones que hacer.
Y mientras estoy aquí,
también tengo unas preguntas que hacer.
Estoy esperando tu regreso,
¿tú también estás esperando el mío?
¿Crees que el verano también
extraño el invierno y el frío?
¿Crees que la luna extraña el mar,
por eso sigue tirando de las mareas?
¿Son las conchas las lágrimas de la luna?
¿Son las olas el sonido de sus gritos y peleas?
Estoy esperando que vuelvas,
¿O tú también estás esperando mi llegada?
¿Crees que Dios también extraño
el mundo tranquilo y vacío?
¿Crees que el sol extraño al mundo,
es por eso que hay flores y frutas?
¿Son las flores los besos del sol?
¿Y son los frutos la prueba de su amor?
¿Crees que de todos modos Dios ama tanto
el mundo desordenado,
que nos dio a su hijo y la luna y por eso pintó
los colores de verano para el mundo?
¿Crees que Dios te ama tanto,
por eso te creó perfectamente,
nos dio la vida y el sol
y por eso me creó para ti, no el es justo?
Mientras espero tu regreso,
yo haré vuelto a nacer.
Y cuando estés aquí,
no tendremos más que placer.
Mar 30, 2024
Mar 30, 2024 at 8:28 AM UTC
Just seven will never be enough, nor
seventy or even seven hundred thousand.
It's an insult for how many words I want to say, how many are the grains of sand?
Just fourteen stops before I go?
Frankly, that's quite generous.
Twelve disciples?
All I need is you.
Just ten commandments by my father?
Honestly, for you I'd write them better.
Eight days until my rebirth and our reunion?
Painstakingly, that's quite a wait.
Just three falls going to my death?
Mercilessly, make it a hundred.
Just two nails to pin me down?
Respectfully, make it a thousand.
Just one cross?
Please, I demand millions.
Just one life will never be enough, nor
ten or even a millenia to hold your hand.
It's an offense, really, because how much rain do you think can the sea withstand?
Mar 29, 2024
Mar 29, 2024 at 11:24 AM UTC
Bawat huling yakap mo'y katumbas ng sampal,
mga huling halik ng labi mo'y tila latigo ang lapat
'Di alintana ang tawanan nila't pangungutya;
Walang higit na sasakit pa
kaysa pagtalikod mo't palayong paglakad.
Bawat hakbang mo'y nadarama ang pagbigat nitong puso,
mga yapak **** dahilan ng makailang dapa at pagkahulog.
'Di na pinapakinggan mga sigaw nila't
'di mapunasan kanilang mga dura;
Walang higit na nakakahiya pa
kaysa pagtanggi mo sa akin sa harap nila.
Bawat kasinungalingan mo'y
pako sa aking kamay,
mga kasakiman mo'y
pako sa paa naman.
'Di na alintana ang hapdi at uhaw,
'di na hihintayin pa aking huling hininga.
Walang higit na kamatayan
kaysa paglayo mo't paglisan.
Mar 29, 2024
Mar 29, 2024 at 7:58 AM UTC
No lo piénses dos veces,
solo dame cien besos.
Traicióname una y otra vez,
fallame con los ojos cerrados.
Adelante, que me lleven.
Solo siéntate ahí y escucha mis gritos.
No des un paso atrás,
o te arrepentirás.
Engañarme una y otra vez,
prométeme nada más.
Adelante, que me arrastren.
Sólo mira cómo crucifican mi cuerpo.
No me hagas daño solo por diez veces,
solo hazlo por cien o millones.
Dececpcionarme una y otra vez,
miénteme y dime que todo está bien.
Adelante, que me maten.
Sólo prométeme que esperarás junto a mi sepulcro.
Mar 28, 2024
Mar 28, 2024 at 6:12 AM UTC
Empecemos.
𝘜𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯.
Cojamos las sillas, sentémonos
y empecemos a comer.
𝘒𝘶𝘮𝘶𝘩𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘺𝘢, 𝘶𝘮𝘶𝘱𝘰
𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯.
En esta mesa, eres el único discípulo.
𝘚𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵𝘰, 𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘸 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘰.
Toma mi cuerpo...
𝘒𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘰...
Y mis huesos, vale, rómpelos...
𝘔𝘨𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘰'𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘪-𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰...
Y te digo;
"Esto es mi cuerpo, entregado por ti,
hacer esto en memoria de mí."
"𝘐𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘯, 𝘯𝘢 𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘴𝘢'𝘺𝘰,
𝘨𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰 𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘭𝘢-𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯."
Y toma la copa, lleno de mis lágrimas,
esperanzas y sueños.
𝘈𝘵 𝘬𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢, 𝘯𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘭𝘶𝘩𝘢,
𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘱 𝘬𝘰.
"Esta copa es el nuevo pacto en mi sangre,
que es derramada por ti."
"𝘈𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘶𝘨𝘰,
𝘯𝘢 𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘩𝘰𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘴𝘢'𝘺𝘰"
En verdad, créeme, me traicionarás...
𝘈𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘰, 𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰 𝘢𝘬𝘰 𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘬𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴 𝘯𝘢...
Pero está bien, lo estaba anticipando...
𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘰 𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘰...
Pero primero come conmigo, quiero
disfrutar esta ultima comida contigo.
𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘬𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘬𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘬𝘰,
𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘮𝘰.
Quédate conmigo, hasta que me lleven...
𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘪 𝘴𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘰, 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘢 𝘬𝘰 𝘥𝘢𝘬𝘱𝘪𝘯...
Oremos toda la noche, hasta llegar al cielo.
Y antes de enfrentar el calvario...
𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘥𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘢𝘣𝘪, 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘵.
𝘈𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘬𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘰...
Mar 28, 2024
Mar 28, 2024 at 9:15 AM UTC
Start with my neck,
and then go around my nape...
While you hold me from behind,
your body's like an unsung hero's cape...
Trail your left hand down my chest,
as the right one anticipates on my waist...
While you kiss me in the neck,
where your hands lifted their weight...
Let your hands trail some more,
as your legs join my sides...
My body, you're most welcome to explore,
or even crucify ****** into the night...
Pin down my arms and hands,
stab me with an emotionless face...
And as you end with my feet,
wash them, then lock my knees in place...
And finally, yet again, end with my feet.
Start with my neck, next my nape,
take me from behind,
then hold me from my chest, next my waist,
a little more in the neck again,
take your hands all over,
next are my sides,
then my arms,
then my hands,
then my feet,
my locked knees,
and finally ending with my feet.
This is exactly how you'd **** me,
and at the same time rebirth me.
Mar 28, 2024
Mar 28, 2024 at 5:09 AM UTC
Alam ko namang ito ang magiging kamatayan ko.
Alam ko namang may hangganan din itong mayroon tayo.
Ang puso kong pasan-pasan ko,
at hila hila ko rin pati na ang sa'yo.
Ang pagkahulog ko ay akin lamang,
ang pagkakadapa ko'y sariling pagkakasala.
Ano ang sasabihin ng aking ina,
ang luha pag nakita ang duguang mukha?
Abutin mo ang aking kamay,
at tulungan mo akong tumayo sa aking paa.
At ang mukha ko'y punasan mo,
ang labi ko'y dampihan mo ng labi mo.
Ang aking ikalawang pagkakahulog,
alam kong wala nang sasaklolo.
At wag kang iiyak sa ngalan ko
ang luha mo'y para lamang sa'yo.
Ang ikatlong pagkakahulog,
ang iyong kapatawaran ay ibigay mo.
Aking kasuotan ay tanggalin mo,
aking kabayaran ay tanggapin mo.
Ang mga braso ko'y pigilan mo,
ang mga binti ko ay isunod.
Alisin mo ang paghihirap ko sinta,
ang paghinga ko'y wakasan na.
Alisin ang katawan ko't ilayo sa aking puso,
ang isip ko'y isunod mo pagkatapos.
At ipahinga mo ang bangkay ko sa tabi mo,
hanggang kamatayan sa'yo lang gagapos.
At hintayin mo aking muling pagbabalik, sapagkat ang aking ikalawang pagdating ay ang paraisong di mo pa nararating.
Mar 27, 2024
Mar 27, 2024 at 7:04 AM UTC
You hit me good where it hurts,
and you hurt me where it's good.
If you ask me to weep and burn,
I happily and willingly would.
Where your betrayal is,
that's where I long to be.
You want me bad when I want to hide,
and you hide me when it gets bad.
If you ask me to be your victim and bride,
my "yes" would be my quickest nod.
Where your anger resides,
that's where I dream to be beside.
So kiss me softly where it stings,
and kiss me hard where it kills.
If you ask me to die for your sins,
I would even do it on a cross uphill.
Mar 27, 2024
Mar 27, 2024 at 5:37 AM UTC
Penitencia número uno:
intenta no pensar en el color de mi piel ni en mi cuerpo.
Penitencia número dos:
sigue haciendo lo que haces, finge que no quieres mis besos.
Penitencia número tres:
trata de imaginarme como si fuera la luna de tu marea.
Como si no pudieras estar sin mí por la noche.
Penitencia número cuatro:
intenta orar a Dios por mí cuando ya me haya ido para siempre.
Como si pudieras vivir sin mí en este mundo loco.
Penitencia número cinco:
Déjame ir y regálame el camino de salida
si no puedes darme el cielo.
Seis, nunca vuelvas a mi país.
Siete, nunca cierres los ojos cuando empiezo a salir con alguien.
Ocho, nunca apagues las luces e imagínate en tu cuarto.
Nueve, no me escuches cuando digo "vuelve".
Diez, ni siquiera pienses más en mí.
Mar 26, 2024
Mar 26, 2024 at 9:06 AM UTC
Penitencia número uno:
Intentaré no pensar en ti y en mí en la misma cama.
Y tú también, intenta no pensar en el color de mi piel
ni en mi cuerpo.
Penitencia número dos:
No hablaré contigo, esta es una oración
y una promesa.
Y tú también, sigue haciendo lo que haces,
finge que no quieres mis besos.
Penitencia número tres:
Intentaré imaginar que eres el sol quemando mi piel.
Qué dolorosamente bien besas mi cuerpo.
Y tú también, trata de imaginarme
como si fuera la luna de tu marea.
Como si no pudieras estar sin mí por la noche.
Penitencia número cuatro:
No te hablaré, pero me arrodillaría frente a ti como un altar.
Qué fervor te oraría y te adoraría.
Y tú también, intenta orar a Dios por mí cuando
ya me haya ido para siempre.
Como si pudieras vivir sin mí en este mundo loco.
Penitencia número cinco:
Es simple. Iría, saldría de tu vida y te regalaré mi silencio.
Debería ser simple. Déjame ir y regálame el camino de salida
si no puedes darme el cielo.
Mar 26, 2024
Mar 26, 2024 at 9:02 AM UTC
Matalino naman ako,
alam rin iyan ng mga tao sa paligid ko.
Maingat naman ako,
kung hindi ay hindi ako tatagal sa mundo.
Ngunit bakit sa sarili ko'y ginagawa ito?
Bakit ako naglalakad patungo sa'yo?
Alam kong masasaktan muli ako,
baka nga ito pa ang maging kamatayan ko.
Ngunit bakit patuloy pa ring lumalapit sa'yo?
Naglalakad ng masaya at magiliw
patungo sa aking kalbaryo,
para lang maipalasap sa'yo ang paraiso.
Habang pasan ang krus na tonelada ang kilo,
para lang madala ang walang hanggang kaligtasan sa'yo.
Mar 25, 2024
Mar 25, 2024 at 11:46 PM UTC
They say you must suffer
before you become free
You must be a prisoner
before you can flee
But I beg to differ...
Before you came I didn't know glee.
I was held captive by land and earth
before I became as wild as the sea
And you wouldn't agree either...
Before me, you've never known grace.
You were trapped by the fear of danger
until you're blessed by the sight of my face
You could try but you won't find better...
After me, everyone else is just a phase.
I was chained by the fear of another lover
but you blessed me with hope I can't erase
Now we are swinging like olive branches,
dancing and swaying like palm trees,
I don't want to take any chances
but with you I'd take a thousand risks.
Now we are singing like lovebirds
flying across a meadow in a summer light,
I don't want to fall in love again
but for you I'd jump headfirst and deep dive.
Mar 24, 2024
Mar 24, 2024 at 12:03 AM UTC
Sé que tú también lo sentirlo,
la misma frustración
que siento en mi corazón.
Sé que tú también lo ves,
compartimos la misma condición
que está llena de dolores.
Sé que tú también puedes oírlo,
las mismas canciones
que canto o escribo en secreto.
Pero sé que ya lo sabes,
compartimos el mismo jardín y mundo
que está lleno de magia y flores.
Mar 22, 2024
Mar 22, 2024 at 1:39 AM UTC
ang hangin ay merong hatid na amoy
at pawang init naman ang nasa apoy
sa tubig, mayroong ahon pag nalulunod
sa lupa, may bangon yaong mga na-talisod
Bilangin Nawa Tagong Bituin ,,,,
upang hiling wagas makapiling !!!
buhangin din tila pumag-ibig ,,,
lutang ngunit saganang alamin !!!
Tulak ng bibig kabig ng dibdib
kung ayaw daw maraming dahilan
Puspos o kapos, bawas o Tigib
kapag gusto raw, merong Paraan
para umigi kapupuntahan,,,
lingonin lagi pinanggalingan
sampuan man 'tong pagpapantigan,
Takaw-dinggin sa naninindigan !!!
Apr 16, 2022
Apr 16, 2022 at 6:43 AM UTC
A Sequence of Poems for Holy Week
(Some of these were submitted in past years)
Holy Thursday 2017
On this Maundatum Thursday falls a bomb
From the belly of a beast, falling, falling
From the Empyrean and through the blue
Past mountaintops and misted valleys deep
And then into the planet’s earthen flanks
Its pulses to repudiate Creation
In vaporizing the structures of life
Into primeval molecules of dust
Because some bad men might be lurking there
On this Maundatum Thursday falls a bomb
Maundy Thursday – Mass of the Last Supper
“Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang”
-Shakespeare
The air is thurified – the incense given
Our Lord upon His birth is fumed at last;
The censer’s chains, clanking like manacles
Offend against the silence at the end of Mass
Supper is concluded; the servants strip
The Table bare of all the Seder service:
Cups, linens, and dishes, leaving in the dark
An Altar bare, prepared for sacrifice
In Gethsemane the flowered air is sweet
But iron-heeled caligae offend the night
6 April 2012, Good Friday
A Night of Fallen Nothingness
The Altar stripped, the candles dark, the Cross
Concealed behind a purple shroud, the sun
Mere slantings through an afternoon of grief
While all the world is emptied of all hope.
The dead remain, the failing light withdraws
As do the broken faithful, silently,
Into a night of fallen nothingness.
7 April 2012, Holy Saturday
Easter Vigil, Sort Of
A vigil, no, simply quiet reflection
Minutes before midnight, with all asleep
Little Liesl-Dog perhaps dreams of squirrels,
For she has chased and barked them all the day;
The kittens are disposed with their mother
After an hour of kitty-baby-talk,
Adored by all, except by Calvin-Cat,
That venerable, cranky old orange hair-ball,
Who resents youthful intrusion upon
His proper role as object of worship.
All the house settles in for the spring night,
Anticipating Easter, early Mass,
And then the appropriately pagan
Merriments of chocolates and colored eggs
And children with baskets squealing for more
As children should, in the springtime of life.
Easter, 2014
Christos Voskrese!
For William Tod Mixson
The world is unusually quiet this dawn
With fading stars withdrawing in good grace
And drowsy, dreaming sunflowers, dewy-drooped,
Their golden crowns all motionless and still,
Stand patiently in their ordered garden rows,
Almost as if they wait for lazy bees
To wake and work, and so begin the day.
A solitary swallow sweeps the sky;
An early finch proclaims his leafy seat
While Old Kashtanka limps around the yard
Snuffling the boundaries on her morning patrol.
Then wide-yawning Mikhail, happily barefoot,
A lump of bread for nibbling in one hand,
A birch switch swishing menace in the other
Appears, and whistles up his father’s cows:
“Hey! Alina, and Antonina! Up!
Up, up, Diana and Dominika!
You, too, Varvara and Valentina!
Pashka is here, and dawn, and spring, and life!”
And they are not reluctant then to rise
From sweet and grassy beds, with udders full,
Cow-gossip-lowing to the dairy barn.
Anastasia lights the ikon lamp
And crosses herself as her mother taught.
She’ll brew the tea, the strong black wake-up tea,
And think about that naughty, handsome Yuri
Who winked at her during the Liturgy
On the holiest midnight of the year.
O pray that watchful Father did not see!
Breakfast will be merry, an echo-feast
Of last night’s eggs, pysanky, sausage, kulich.
And Mother will pack Babushka’s basket,
Because only a mother can do that right
When Father Vasily arrived last night
In a limping Lada haloed in smoke,
The men put out their cigarettes and helped
With every precious vestment, cope, and chain,
For old Saint Basil’s has not its own priest,
Not since the Czar, and Seraphim-Diveyevo
From time to time, for weddings, holy days,
Funerals, supplies the needs of the parish,
Often with Father Vasily (whose mother
Begins most conversations with “My son,
The priest.…”), much to the amusement of all.
Voices fell, temperatures fell, darkness fell
And stars hovered low over the silent fields,
Dark larches, parking lots, and tractor sheds.
Inside the lightless church the priest began
The ancient prayers of desolate emptiness
To which the faithful whispered in reply,
Unworthy mourners at the Garden tomb,
Spiraling deeper and deeper in grief
Until that Word, by Saint Mary Magdalene
Revealed, with candles, hymns, and midnight bells
Spoke light and life to poor but hopeful souls.
The world is unusually quiet this dawn;
The sun is new-lamb warm upon creation,
For Pascha gently rests upon the earth,
This holy Russia, whose martyrs and saints
Enlighten the nations through their witness of faith,
Mercy, blessings, penance, and prayer eternal
Now rising with a resurrection hymn,
And even needful chores are liturgies:
“Christos Voskrese – Christ is risen indeed!”
And Old Kashtanka limps around the yard
Snuffling the boundaries on her morning patrol.
Apr 1, 2021
Apr 1, 2021 at 5:11 PM UTC
(haiku x 2)
coffee and po'try
how could i ever abstain
they're my meat...my flames
i am pretty doomed
it's lent, can't stop, got some lines
how doomed could i be?
Sally
Copyright March 25, 2018
rrab
Mar 24, 2018
Mar 24, 2018 at 4:02 PM UTC
We entered the holy city with palm branches to welcome
Parading in as they sang 'Hosanna!'
They honored Him as if He were their king
As if He had come to set them free
Oh how right they were, the Promised King, come to set His people free
We shared in communion with the Lord and the betrayer
On the eve of the darkest day in history
Hate brewed at one end of that table
While love stirred peacefully on the other
And all of us living in blissful ignorance in between
We celebrated the passover with our master
And we prayed that The Lord would not pass over us again
That instead He would stoop down to us and save us
But we denied Him in His hour of need
We slept soundly as He was betrayed by us
Like a lamb led to the slaughter, He gave His life for another
They beat Him within inches of His divine life
They cast lots for his garments, and spit on His bloodied face
No longer did they yell 'Hosanna!' to welcome their king,
But they yelled 'crucify him!' to condemn their Divine Lord
They drove nails into his frail hands
He cried out to heaven asking why The Lord had forsaken Him
He declared in defiance ‘It is finished’ and He passed on to death
They threw a sword into his swollen side
His holy blood and holy water spilled to sanctify the earth onto which it fell
So silly they were, they thought that they could **** God
That they really believed they could depose the Lord of all with mere nails
But the sky darkened, and heaven turned away as to not see her Lord die
The earth shook and the world changed
Suddenly all knew 'surely this man was the Son of God'
The once bright and beautiful sky turned suddenly dark
The earth shook violently in disapproval that her creator lay dead on her face
The warm humid air turned suddenly bitterly cold and dry
For the promised Messiah had been defeated
Death itself had victory over the world, and the world knew it was so
There, on the cross, lay the Life of the World, dead
The Light of the World had been snuffed out, and the world left in darkness
The hope of all mankind suddenly vanished
The steady hand holding the world wavered in mourning
And darkness covered the seemingly God-forsaken earth
Who are we at the foot of the cross that stood silently?
We stood by and watched the promised Messiah be taken away and killed
We reap what we sew, and will now live out our days in darkness
Without hope we shall suffer for all time, a punishment fit for our crime
We crucified the Messiah, we gave the Lord to death, we killed God
For three days the sun did not rise
For three days the world swayed unstable
The demons danced in the darkness
Hell was victorious
Because for three days, God lay dead in a tomb.
Apr 15, 2017
Apr 15, 2017 at 12:19 PM UTC
#032616
You're a charcoal in disguise
Sparks fly, electricity's dry.
Wind blows and melody swings,
Heartbeats rolling faster in grip.
Chewed sands, rough and dry
Pale like a race but not a frowning drama.
Steps were not heard in the audience so new,
Dripping pillows from the sky, a lantern not blue.
Sound's a cliche, reminiscing the view
Chants of mercy and grace; wild flowers were betrayed.
Fired the dark, invisible sky
The King has arise, victory is ours!
Mar 26, 2016
Mar 26, 2016 at 6:40 AM UTC
#032516
Buhay nami'y magkakaiba
Mapaba't mapamatanda.
Kami'y mga tupang naligaw
Ngayon, buhay taglay ay Ilaw.
Kami'y pinalaya ng pag-ibig ni Kristo
Siya'y nagparaya sa Krus ng Kalbaryo.
Kaya't kahit kami'y di perpekto,
Patuloy kaming nagpapabago.
Mar 26, 2016
Mar 26, 2016 at 6:26 AM UTC
Good Friday: What is it and what’s so Good about it?!
What exactly is Good Friday and what is so good about it?! Jesus died and we put him there. He died in the most terrible way imaginable and did nothing wrong. As far as we are concerned, we killed our best hope for freedom because now he is dead and that isn’t anything to be happy or good about!
Good Friday is a day of extremes. It is a day of great and overwhelming sadness and a day of hope and joy. It is a day of suffering and agony and a freedom from them. It is a day of powerful evil and of far greater love, day of death and life, of end and of beginning. This is Good Friday. It is on this day that we are reminded of our sin and humanity. So often we are the throngs of people singing hymns and giving glory to God as on Palm Sunday and we are the same angry mob that demanded Jesus death on the cross; mocking jeering and spitting at our Lord and Savior. Yet, in all our sin and hatred not once did Jesus despise us. Rather he looked on his people with all the more love and compassion.
Only Jesus could make something as ugly as the cross into something so beautiful that it is one of the most recognized and venerated symbols today. His heart broke for us as on that cross he showed us the power of perfect love. It is said that love isn’t love until you give it away and Jesus said “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend”. Jesus’s life was his love and he gave it away. It is sobering to think that after all I have done and will do that someone as perfect, powerful and great as God would look on me with love. To realize that he knows my name and calls me, and that he would call me friend, call me child is nothing short of amazing.
On Good Friday we have the opportunity to venerate the cross by kneeling down touching or kissing the cross; in doing so we can bring our troubles, our burdens, our joys, blessings, hopes, and dreams and give them to Jesus in a very real way. Jesus said “Come to me all you who are weary, you who are broken and burdened. Come to me and I shall give you rest; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light”. It is at the foot of the cross that all are equal and all can come; the rich and poor, sick and healthy, young and old.
No one has everything, but everyone has something and each of us are called to use what gifts we have been given to be salt and light for all around us; both around the block and around the world.
So Good Friday is Good in part because of it was on this day that through His death on the cross we might come to have life eternal, sin and death were defeated. Good ultimately prevailed over Evil. Jesus’ death and what would happen after was also made true when he said “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life will lose it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life”. In his death Jesus’ body and blood are the true bread and true wine given for the whole world. His death also has produced much fruit in the people today who follow Christ and his teachings. For more than 2000 years, people have come to believe and the faith has continued to survive, grow and even thrive throughout the years despite difficulties and trials. What would have happened and how would life be today if Jesus had saved himself from death on the cross, and didn’t die for our sins on that day? The world may never know and even though things are far from perfect, I thank God he did. That is Good.
Amen
Apr 8, 2015
Apr 8, 2015 at 12:57 AM UTC