POEM: “Christmas Present”
“Christmas Present”
Away You were In A Manger,
Yet still distant was my heart
Your Love which drew even the eyes of the lights above
Our Bright Son Smiling, as the angels too played their part
Ye found a safe place in the arms of Mary
But still I wandered in the dark night lost
A perfect shelter, this Great Tree, amidst man’s winter
As the snow slowly falls, it is Your Star that from afar calls me forth
In this painful inward journey I crossed the lands of self
Knowing that in the silence of Your Presence is where I alone belong
For it is here away from mens eyes, I die
It is here near Mary, I too, in You, am reborn
My past parts with the Wind for the Day now is here
In the crystal clear tomorrow I have hope to arise once again to adorn
Parting, no more, the old, now made anew
For we can not appreciate this scene without first ourselves traveling
Leaving behind our footprints of falsehood to follow Yours which are true
O’ Rejoice! Heavens Bread has desecended amongst men
And meets to greet souls with divine kiss in the early morning dew
Making our way through this dense forest on the account of Love
We all encounter the holly and ivy and must pass through
Wrapped in this cold I still come giving you myself as gift
On bent knees I present very humbly my once broken heart unto You.
We seemingly are always asking God for “something” when in reality He has already given Himself which is all we truly need. Do you ask what Christ would like of you this Christmas? Or will you continue to live bound by the shackles of self- love always pursuing that which often is not necessary for your salvation. We all must walk through this forest in order to arrive at that place of pure sublimity. God cannot first be heard unless we are first quiet and yet how many of us can take more than fifteen minutes out of our “busy” schedule to meet Christ in the humility of this Manger in prayer. We are cold creatures who need the Source of Fire and Light for the winter of our earthly spiritual plight.
Rather your eyes get wider/bigger this Christmas with the prospect of acquiring more things let your eyes get more narrow so that you may see the humility of Christ in the Manger. Remember this is a time of giving and not receiving and there are many who this Christmas may not get one present but it is in their daily giving by which they truly bring Christ into the world. Unfortunately this godless modern world so riddled with self is trying to usher in the Antichrist, who, will, at least, for a short period of time “abolish” Christmas altogether. Enjoy every day you get every minute we receive and every breathe God grants. Learn to live simply as Mary and Joseph and I assure you that you will see Christmas through different “lenses”. Simplicity is not a word often associated with Christmas and yet is foundational to not only the day but our spiritual lives in general. See Christmas through the Holy Family and may yours be blessed. And remember sometimes the devil “will chase you out of where you used to be” only so that you can “arrive at where God needs you to be”. We are all in plight like the Holy Family therefore seek shelter in our Fortress and Great Tree, the Blessed Virgin Mary and I assure you that Christ will be all the more nearer to your heart, Ave Maria!
Poem: Thou Art Beauty And I am Ugly
Luke 2:16
And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.
Thou Art Beauty And I am Ugly:
Arriving at Thy Manger alas! I kneelest before Thee
I come not wise
Awaiting upon thy grace
Face to face, we finally meet
A hearts keylock found in the inward gate
Once bound in Original sins prison, O’ Eve!Pacing in the darkness in the corridors of self beneath
Approaching, O’ lovely Lady!Eager to unlock with Her Son’s own Key
O’ fearful hearts! Retreat no more
Press onward children into His Heart’s Fire
I lift my eyes, as Thou erase my sighs
The old man dies, as Thy brightness swallows my inward cries
Thus, I now arise, for Thy Love, above all nature defies
And the stone before my heart is now released
On this new day; it is now Thee in me
For the cataracts over my inner eyes
Fade like the evening sun and Thy Presence revives
It gives this eagle the Vision to see clearly
I sin, Thou repair
Sitting in the hearts cold of winter, Thy Love descended
I come gift less to thy Mother’s Manger burdened with cares
Leaving with only Thee, for Thy Heart dared
I die, Thou live
Naked no more I am clothed in Hope
For wherest the self seeks to take… thy Heart is ready to give
Thou broke Bread and I break thy Heart in sin
Ye wouldst kiss the feet of mere men and I give unto thee a Judas kiss…Thou spread thy arms as an eagle and I spread self like a virus
Yea, only Mary can guide thee in this interior Fortress
Indeed, all these virtues are found in Her, an eagles nest
Thus we stay close and feed mystically from her breast
For only He can get us through this
To bring the soul to eternal bliss
Man, in and of himself, couldst never glory
And so I sit to write again under the cover of this advents scene
With arms spread in Faith and Hope ready to receive
Taking in the once stiff air which turns into thy gentle breeze
I confess no less…That I am foolish and Thou art All WiseIt is this disease of self which impedes; it is in this dark man plots in greed
But it is thy Divine Infant Heart which frees
And until man is ready to let go of self for thy Heart’s Humility
Until man gives up all things and exchanges it for Thy Poverty
Man will never be able learn and absorb The Word
For Thou Art Beauty and I am Ugly….
For reflection:
Job 40:5
Clothe thyself with beauty, and set thyself up on high and be glorious, and put on goodly garments.
Psalms 20:6
His glory is great in thy salvation: glory and great beauty shalt thou lay upon him.
Psalms 25:8
I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house; and the place where thy glory dwelleth.
Psalms 44:12
And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore.
Psalms 49:2
Out of Sion the loveliness of his beauty.
Psalms 92:1
The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded himself. For he hath established the world which shall not be moved.
Psalms 95:6
Praise and beauty are before him: holiness and majesty in his sanctuary.
Psalms 103:1
For David himself. Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, thou art exceedingly great. Thou hast put on praise and beauty
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