A Poem a Sunday

Proper 28B/Ordinary 33B/Pentecost 26
November 18, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY-699M7j3g

St. Mark 13:1-8 – NRSV

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

13:  1 As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’[a] and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Footnotes:

1. Mark 13:6 Gk I am

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 26 – B

Edifice Wrecks

Proud of the mortar

and the stone

brick by brick

creating their home

for the Divine.

Good intentions,

loving hearts

little do they know

the Tempter’s art

of unexamined

blessed intentions.

And through the years

the Mantra:

Bricks and mortar,

bricks and mortar,

this is what we stress.

Bricks and mortar,

bricks and mortar,

maintain the edifice.

And so…

the cross gets lost,

the cost of discipleship

gone

for pleasant valley Sundays

and manicured lawns…

and Christ confined,

domesticated,

with Chicken Soup

for the Soul

and padded pews

give comfort

to the comfortable

while Lazarus yearns

at the door

longing to be whole…

and care is when

it’s convenient

and screens

replace the cross

and praise songs to

the ‘Great I Am’

never deal with loss.

Yet the Christ cries

as a prophet:

“The walls must come down.”

Then truth is revealed

to those who kneel

back on bare holy ground.

Copyright 2018 @Kenn Storck

May be used with permission

kennstorck@gmail.com