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.