After the Flare and Flame
The Road to Emmaus: Luke 24: 13 -32
how we stumbled
away from the gushing women
and
our brothers who were no longer
ashamed
to weep
If we walked twice the seven miles
to home
we would
Anything to exhaust the rage
before we were crushed
and as empty as he said he found
the cave
Burning everywhere our eyes
our throats
our lungs
my skin was dry enough to peel
with the merest touch
enough
What stoked this fire was fear
Neither of us noticed
or
cared
to see the stranger nearly upon us
His first words startled me
reawakening the rage that had
almost
settled like ashes after the flare and flame
The confrontation took us both
into a howling
threatening storm of words
Until he twisted us free
of the knots that had strangled
us these last
fearful days
How could we be blind
how
could we not hear the voice that
will now
forever hold us
still
Our hunger shifted
from needing protective enveloping dark
handing us bread so many nights
When he broke the bread
he brought us
from the tomb where we had cowered
And now we can do
as he had
done
and will always do
give that bread to all
-- Luke
Dedicated and offered as a gift to a group of men
bringing their light into an all-too-shadowy world. For the ordination of newly
ordained priests: Ajani Gibson (for the
Archdiocese of New Orleans); and for the Midwest Province of the Society of
Jesus: Thomas Bambrick; Jeffrey Dorr; Garrett Gundlach; Robert Karle; Aaron
Malnick; Hung T. Nguyen; Trevor Rainwater; and Jeffrey Sullivan.
Startling images that haunt a mere walk with the Holy One. Thank you for this gift of image and form!
ReplyDeleteThank you Joseph for this new speaking of the disciples conversion.
ReplyDeleteAgain... right to the heart!
ReplyDeleteWriting this on the first Juneteenth that this country is finally coming to acknowledge. We are not beyond the "fire and Flame," remembering all the mothers and and fathers who broke their backs to put bread on their tables. Unlike his voice, "that would forever hold us still," we have not heard enough of the voices that need to speak their unspoken rage...our burning is everywhere and our skins need to feel the parch. May we in the end know the way to soothe in the manner of the Holy One. Thank you, Joseph
ReplyDeleteOh, my, how striking and strongly: to walk that walk daily! Thank you!
ReplyDelete