Monday, June 6, 2011

I have preached from the time I was born

I had the privilege this last weekend of offering words on Loving Mercy to the women of Province 5 of the Daughters of the King, an order of praying, serving women of the Episcopal Church.  I realized then and now how blessed I am to be appointed their chaplain, how blessed I was to be asked to speak, how blessed I was to celebrate and preach with them.  I woke this morning with the beginning of this reflection.  I believe God is always speaking, and now, it seems, we are always preaching, whether we think we are or not.  It continues a blessing.

I have preached
From the time I was born.
I didn*t know it.

I thought all the words remained hidden
If I didn*t speak.
I imagined I was a low-flying plane
Under the radar
Unperceivable even
To the heat detectors
The radar finders.

Here at 56
My hands in the garden dirt
Here at 56
I tell stories
The dirt sifts through my fingers.
Don*t you see?
Don*t you see the very dirt
That forms us?
Here at 56
I come to myself and hold forth.
I find myself,
Hold forth
Hold forth again.
I hold up the dirt.
It sifts through my fingers
Don*t you see?
We have preached from the time
We were born.
Each of us has preached
From the time we were born.

Some have heard us preach.
Some have seen the very dirt
From which
We are made.

Some even know
To rejoice.

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