A Poem a Sunday

Proper 11B/Ordinary 16B/Pentecost 9
July 22, 2018

St. Mark 6:30-34; 53-56 - NRSV

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

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53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. 

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 9 - B

Cross Over

Christ crosses over

from Galilee to Gennesaret

and those with eyes

begin to see

the Year of Jubilee

when the captive

are set free.

Christ crosses over

the boundaries

of purity

to touch

and heal

and make real

the coming

of God’s reign.

Christ crosses over

the lines we draw

and in anger and awe

we are invited

to welcome

the stranger.

Christ crosses over

our sin and hate

and overcomes

death’s fate

opening the gate

to new life.

Christ crosses over

the water we pour

and does not ignore

the demonic we face

as a human race.

Christ crosses over

time and space

and in this place

in bread and wine

heals in our time.

Copyright 2018 @A Poem a Sunday

by Rev. Kenn Storck

May be used with permission – kennstorck@gmail.com