THE CALL OF EZEKIEL

-

The Call of Ezekiel
“I will make you a sign to them”



As certain as the snow
Falling in the dark
Before dawn that day

You are chosen
Begotten 
Before the world

I have 

Seen you 
Known you
Loved you

Made you a sign to them
Mirror of who they are
Though they may not observe
Though you do not understand 

Knowing yourself to be
The rubbish heap of the poor
Hating your own frailty

I have given you
The soft heart of my Son
To bleed and feel another’s pain

Embracing its helplessness
Descending to the depths of it

Ankle deep
Knee deep
Waist deep

Beyond the messy
Impossibility of it

To cry 

Tears of the child
Tears of Mercy
Sobbing

Clothed with Christ
Clothed with His people
Clothed in Mercy

This is who I created
You to be




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Love Was His Meaning

-
Image
‘Love was his meaning’: a conversation about Julian of Norwich between Dr Claire Gilbert and Fr Eamonn Monson. Click on the link below to listen to the conversation https://drive.google.com/file/d/16euftBoLdrM3X1YvEAhK3RznhdAI1LFj/view?usp=drivesdk Claire Gilbert wrote her doctoral thesis on Julian in relation to the ecological crisis, but when she was diagnosed with myeloma, a cancer of the blood, Julian stopped being the subject of her academic study and became her spiritual companion and guide through two and a half years of gruelling treatment.  Claire wrote about this in letters to friends, published as  Miles to Go Before I Sleep .  At the end of the treatment she heard a call to tell Julian’s story and wrote  I, Julian , a fictional autobiography which seeks to do justice to this extraordinary woman’s life. Dr Claire Gilbert is an author.  She is the founding director of the Westminster Abbey Institute, and has worked for the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England as poli
Read more

REALITY: The Birthplace of Jesus

-
Image
  "He who sits in the heavens laughs" (Psalm 2) I’m not used to masculine violence – the sheer strength and force of it. It happened once before when I was about fifteen years old. A lad headbutted my face in the Community Centre under the church in Mervue, leaving me nicely bruised and I told the lie that I had banged my face off the countertop, ashamed to say what had actually happened. That was then and now, last week on the Monday before Christmas, I encountered the violence of men again. Accidentally. In the wrong place at the wrong time. Standing in the doorway of Iceland, two men went for each other with their fists, and I happened to be in the way. Stood between them. And for the space of a minute or less I was rattled back and forth like a rag doll. Another man entered the fray, and I suffered a severe blow to the left side of my lower back. The force of it shocked me. Then the fight ended and I limped away, dazed and in great pain. It was a rude awakening from t
Read more

WEAKNESSES (My Special Boast)

-
Image
  "I shall make my weaknesses my special boast” (2 Corinthians 12:9) There's a struggle going on in me, the tiredness that comes with the end of the year, the tiredness I see in teachers and pupils as they come to the conclusion of their academic year. A tiredness and an excited anticipation of endings and freedom. I'm a bit unsteady in myself when I enter the church for the first Sunday morning Mass. I have the pleasure of my sister's company this weekend, but in normal times the first word I speak in the day is spoken when I come for Mass which is preceded by three hours of silence. Silent breakfast, silent prayer, silent preparation. I love that silence and I love the first word that is spoken in the day. The connection with the people of the parish. This particular Sunday morning a young Mum places her new-born baby in my arms. The effect on me is instant. Holding this child close to my chest, all unsteadiness is steadied, all turbulence calmed by a peace that ta
Read more