This is a poem I wrote as this sermon and if you wish- you can hear me read it on You Tube
A Reflection for IV Advent All
Saints Episcopal Church, Southern Shores, NC December 22, 2013 Thomas
E. Wilson Rector
Joseph of Nazareth
A Poem of His
Reflection
Facing my death giving thanks for life with you
Once all planned, and almost not to be in view.
Now remembering day your father my workshop came
Dragging you behind him, face full fury and yet shame.
“Joseph”, said he, “I speak with scattered pride to you
Of promises not honored which were meant to be true.
This worthless one’s mother news to me this day impart
Words that singed the proud peacock feathers of my heart.
She, this one, her mother says has missed two of monthly
wound,
Red tent free, breaking the cleansing ancient compact with
moon.
She, this one, stands before you splitting my trust from
source
So now I ask if in kindness for me, not for her, you give
divorce.”
And you cried, “Joseph it is not for lack of love for you.
But angel came and gave gift from the One who is true.”
“Silence”, your father thundered, “do not with blasphemy sin.
Blessed be he whose name cannot be said out loud or within
Your mad fantasies, soiled one. To distant cousin you shall
go
Until confinement, so shame this family will not more
undergo.”
Shaken to my core, images flooding eyes so that I burst out
weeping,
Seeing my precious, my beloved one, in the arms of another
sleeping.
To stop the clatter of demons of hurt, I screwed my courage
and said
“Divorce I will grant for the one I love in quiet gentle way
and she dead
To heart shall be, with deepest sadness dismantle I our
marriage bed.”
You cried out, “Joseph never doubt my love for you is true.
I will to end of life be faithful to the NAME, our son and
you.”
For weeks after you father dragging weeping and to cousin
sent
I stuffed down all daylight thoughts, but nightly dreams present
Of mercy to be showed of which ignored I for months of three
Putting off decree decision; blaming withered fondness for see
each other not. Finally that night came when Mary’s Angel to
bed
Visited, filling room and resident with dreaming of fearing
dread.
This was no kindly shade of a domestic children’s sport
But the energy fullness of the unspoken NAME’s retort,
Lover spurned who wished to whisper reconciliation in my ear
But chose visions, tardy unearthly creatures to fill
unbidden fear.
“Wake up! Arise! To the hill country go and there on bended
knee
Ask forgiveness of a heart so filled with self pity pride,
banning glee.
Beg her to return so that you might join in the NAME’s
simple plan
To be a guide whose loving hand will help the infant child
to stand,
To stand not only on his own feet but to stand under the
glorious light
And be the light as each day with powers we summon strength
to fight
The Demons of our own short comings, when lacking courage to
love
We wrap ourselves in being right, how well I know, wrapped
in glove,
So heavy we cannot feel the loss of being human love in this
world
When in chaos all around us in faux righteousness we are
whirled.
Oh, my wife, how humbled am I that you take me to husband
back
When the Intimate Blessed One shown through you forgiving the
lack
Of kindly love and then through that love shared we to make
three
Outward and visible signs of the presence of the Holy
purpose shone
As we combined our strengths to guide our son to be man full
grown.
As with all of life, mine I do not understand but give love
returned
Full measure and more in thanks for real chance to have life
turned.
My beloved wife, bless me as I die as the NAME has blessed
me all days
And nights and see me as in long ago safely in that old star’s
blessed rays.
There will be another morning many years from now when rise
the sun
Will shine on us again; you and me and the product of our
love, our Son.
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