Homecoming

Looking at college possibilities this weekend.  I had other plans for Sunday morning.  My daughter wanted to attend the church on Harvard Square.  It is the same one at which I preached a candidating sermon for a position at a parish in Boston over twenty years ago now.  Today was homecoming Sunday.  We sat in the back.  Turns out the person sitting two pews in front of us is the daughter of a friend.  Of course she is.  Draw us in, indeed.  Draw us in.

I sat the other side

Of the pulpit this morning.

Last time I saw it was twenty years ago

On a winter night.

A homeless man approached

As the table

Was set.

I watched from behind

The altar.

The man approached me

With grace,

Told me how he was so sorry

He had missed my sermon.

Thank you

I said.

And now it*s time

To go sit down.

Communion is about to begin.

Today we sat in the back,

My daughter and I.

It was homecoming Sunday here

Just like it was

Back home.

The choir sang

Draw us in the Spirit*s tether

Just like the choir sang

When I left East Lansing

23 years ago.