Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Poetry Wednesday--John O'Donohue

This poem by John O'Donohue speaks of stepping out, tasking chances and being alive--just what Jesus asked us to do in the Parable of the Talents.


A Morning Offering

I bless the night that nourished my heart
To set the ghosts of longing free
Into the flow and figure of dream
That went to harvest from the dark
Bread for the hunger no one sees.

All that is eternal in me
Welcome the wonder of this day,
The field of brightness it creates
Offering time for each thing
To arise and illuminate.

I place on the altar of dawn:
The quiet loyalty of breath,
The tent of thought where I shelter,
Wave of desire I am shore to
And all beauty drawn to the eye.

May my mind come alive today
To the invisible geography
That invites me to new frontiers,
To break the dead shell of yesterdays,
To risk being disturbed and changed.

May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer
But do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.

2 comments:

Sr. Ann Marie said...

Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem. I especially like the stanza that invites us to explore new geography that will in turn lead us to new frontiers. Great way to start a brand new day!

Staying in Balance said...

Thanks, Sister! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Dymphna's favorite quotes


"Slavery ended in medieval Europe only because the church extended its sacraments to all slaves and then managed to impose a ban on the enslavement of Christians (and of Jews). Within the context of medieval Europe, that prohibition was effectively a rule of universal abolition. "— Rodney Stark

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