REACHING HIGHER

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit

Artful Writing

“We are brought thick desserts, and we rarely refuse them.

We worship devoutly when we’re with others.

Hours we sit, though we get up quickly after a few minutes, when we pray alone.

We hurry down the gullet of our wantings.

But these qualities can change,

as minerals in the ground rise inside trees

and become tree, as a plant faces an animal

and enters the animal, so a human

can put down the heavy

body baggage and

be light.”

from The Essential Rumi

 

 

 

FUN IN THE SNOW

HAIKU

NOEL HAS PASSED BY

YET SNOWMAN REMAINS LOVEABLE

FOR CHILDREN TO PLAY

WINTER DELIGHT

Artful Writing

PAST THANKSGIVING PUMPKIN

STILL BRIGHTLY ORANGE

PIERCING THROUGH MORNING SNOW

WONDERFULLY AMUSING!

…such is the beauty of winter…

IN FLIGHT

Road from Bethlehem to Egypt by Dorothy Riley

Honoring The Holy Innocents

Artful Writing

Fleeing Herod’s raging jealousy, who commanded the death of all newborns in Israel, the Holy Family was warned in a dream to flee to Egypt.  The cries of the Holy Innocents died for the new born Christ.

*

Let us pray for the protection of all children in danger of famine, war and disasters.

 

LET IT RAIN

HAIKU

EASTERN WINDS BLOWING

SHEETS OF SILVERY ICICLES

COVERING SLICK LEAVES

…meandering peacefully on a fine rainy day…

THE SOUND OF BELLS

Artful Writing

There are so many kinds of bells in this world, but the bells of the Lord hold promises.

“Bells are meant to remind us that God alone is good and that we belong to him.

 The bells ring:

“Business does not matter.  Rest in God and rejoice, for this world is only a figure and promise of a world to come…we have spoken for centuries from the towers of the great churches.  We have spoken to the saints, your fathers in their land.  We called them, as we call you, to sanctity.”

from “Thoughts in Solitude” by Thomas Merton

*

“The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.  On that day there shall not be either cold or frost.  And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the Lord), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light.

On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea…

And the Lord will become King over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one…on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.”

Zechariah 14:9, 20

…May your favorite bells shower you with God’s Promises…

CLEANSED

Artful Writing

Like powdery snow after the storm

You have shattered my fears

My mind is freed from stubbornness

My innocence regained

My heart renewed

You have remade me pure

*

…forgiveness and healing go hand in hand…a Christmas gift…