A Poem a Sunday

Lent I – B

February 18, 2018

Twilight in the Wilderness

Art by Nicholas Wyatt

St. Mark 1:9-15 - NRSV

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[a] with you I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news[b] of God,[c] 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;[d] repent, and believe in the good news.”[e]

Footnotes:

1. Mark 1:11 Or my beloved Son
2. Mark 1:14 Or gospel
3. Mark 1:14 Other ancient authorities read of the kingdom
4. Mark 1:15 Or is at hand
5. Mark 1:15 Or gospel

A Poem a Sunday

Lent I – B

Wilderness

…”you neglect and belittle the desert.”

 [‘Choruses from the Rock’ by T. S. Eliot]

Driven by the Spirit

exiled, outside;

looking from

the wilderness

religion only confines,

controls,

puts one in

one’s place

and defines

the Divine.

Yet a fissure

of hope

cracks through

parched earth

though temptation

is all around:

Hope

will not

cave into

the hierarchy

that God

is only above;

will not deny

that the Kingdom is near

and the truth of love;

Hope

will not take

the Forbidden Fruit

of power

and join

the tyrant’s bands;

will not raise the sword

and legions bright

conquering new lands.

So exiled in the desert

we see the fallacy

that power, control,

and transcendent gods

is not Christ’s destiny,

but compassion, service,

the Kingdom within

and all are

Children of God.

Exile in the wilderness

opens the heart

to divine wisdom.

We discover in the desert

God’s new Kingdom.

May be reprinted with the following attribution:

Copyright 2018 @ A Poem a Sunday by Kenneth Storck

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