and now stand we all upon the brink of mystery
for to us, the empty-handed, there has been a child born
uncreated, He has entered human history
life eternal, swaddled in the flesh that we have worn
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filled
wonder-wrapt, she walked the rocky road as
it wound its way between the hills to a stone house
tucked between the trees.
O Bread of Life
O Bread of Life, You are the
true food that satisfies our hungry
souls.
the light of dawn
the old man’s hunger had left his stomach hollow.
how am i to know this? he had asked the angel.
elizabeth’s womb lies barren; no seed
has ever taken root. and i am no better than a wizened stem.
o Love ever-burning
Who will lift the shroud of night
heaven’s light fresh to reveal
overcome death’s with’ring blight
deign our wounded hearts to heal?
o Love gentle
o Love gentle, patient, kind
make us once more wholly Thine
vanquished is the lonely night
look, light has broken
on the darkened world
vanished is the lonely night —
eternity dawns
everything — and us
poor, his bed is not
even his to claim
at least in human reck’ning
could this be the one
ev’ry soul longs for?
eternity sleeps
here on a hay bed
open eyes shine black
peering from a tiny face
even still womb-wet
Image of the Invisible
the baby should’ve looked
like someone they knew
or at least recognized
in that tiny town full
of related faces