Sunday, September 8, 2013

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.

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