Words for an Advent Darkness

Words.

Are there words for this week?  Intense comes to mind in this cacophony of events, from Newtown to Washington to Beirut to East Africa to Mayan calendars.  Millions of words have been posted or flung, and I long for silence in which to hear God breathing.  I am sad for it all, and clinging to Advent hope, longing for the redemption of the Christ Child.

Let me share with you words from one of my favorite poets, Ann Weems.  Maybe, just maybe you need this reminder too.

The night is still dark

And a procession of Herods still terrorize the earth,

Killing the children to stay in power.

The world still knows its Herods,

But it also knows men and women

Who pack their dreams safely in their hearts

And set off toward Bethlehem,

Faithful against all odds,

Undeterred by fatigue or rejection,

To kneel to a child.

And the world still knows those persons

Wise enough

To follow a star,

Those who do not consider themselves too intelligent

Too powerful

Too wealthy

To kneel to a child.

And the world still knows those hearts so humble

That they’re ready

To hear the word of a song

And to leave what they have, to go

To kneel to a child.

The night is still dark,

But by the light of the star,

Even today

We can still see

To kneel to a child.

Shhhh.  Listen.  God breathes, even today, even tomorrow.

That’s the sound from my desk, today.

Grace and joy,

Julie