Pauca Verba is Latin for A Few Words.
Showing posts with label Christ the Teacher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ the Teacher. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Jesus Will Ask Me


When I die and stand before Jesus Christ who is my God, he isn't going to ask me about anyone else. He won't ask me about the two men who live in the neighborhood who got married. He won't ask me about the unmarried young woman with the baby, or the girl I heard had an abortion. He won't ask me about the atheist I met at a summer gathering. He won't ask me about the Jews or the people of color. He won't ask me about the woman who feels more comfortable as a man. He won't ask me about the parish woman I know who left the Catholic Church and now goes to the Episcopal Church on Sunday. He won't ask me about the Catholic couple who got divorced and remarried outside the Church without annulments. He won't ask me about the Republicans or the Democrats. He won't ask me about the co-worker's son who wound up in jail. He will only ask me how I loved these people. That requirement is written in the book he holds in Father Zenon's icon. 


N.B. The gist of this paragraph came to me from a friend who received it from a Quaker friend unknown to me. Adjusting it a bit, I've added the Christ-dimension, changed the pronouns from "you" to "me. Expanded the examples and added Father Zenon's icon of Christ the Teacher. 

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Cries of the Heart Before the Icon of Christ the Teacher





Jesus, we have been friends for a very long time,
but is there real love in my heart?

A splendid silver riza covers your icon, O Christ our God.
Pray that I would be more than your admire-r.

Your Gospel Book is opened to me, O Jesus.
I ask for my heart to do the reading.

O faultless one,
keep me safe from my own worst inclinations.

O strong arm of Christ,
reel me in close to you.

Before your gentle face, O Christ-God,
I pray for those with
tear-streaming eyes.

You look to the margins, 
O Jesus, my Saviour.
I pray for those who wish they'd never been born.

By your soft smile, 
O Gentle Christ,
tend to the egoists,
the tormentors,
the soul-less.

Beauteous Christ,
preserve wonder,
imagination and awe
within me.

Your mind, O Jesus;
divinize my own.

Kind Jesus,
erase the memories,
may I begin again.

By your blessing hand, O Christ,
lead me into the new land
of your teaching.

Share your energy with me, O Saviour,
quickening mercy,
compassion and love.