a beautiful mess

ONCE COLD HEARTS

Light gives warmth;
all the more, light
which gives itself to the dark

but light is
notorious
also, for exposing us(

that’s what the
aurora is,
charred particles escaping.
but is this
not the hope of
sons and daughters everywhere?

)everywhere
cold hearts finding
life in the very light they
they fear. And,
growing warm, sing
to the dark from which they came.

(c) 2010 Justin P. Heap

–

but we so often want to retreat; and inevitably, we forget that we are not meant to retreat, to shrink back, to erect gates, to create ghettos.

what a ghetto we’ve created, what a savior we have!

may we abandon the ghettos we’ve created in lieu of the church: may we once again re-plant ourselves in the garden, which is the world. may we re-member ourselves to each other through the breath which binds and the wind which bends all things. may we gather our dress from around our feet and place the flowers in our hair again. maybe we could sing to the dark from which we came, for behold, the world is dark, and light is precious.*

but not without forgiveness. withholding forgiveness creates space between our limbs; indeed, it creates space between the members. it disfigures the body and makes ugly what is meant to be beautiful. forgiving as GOD forgives reveals the seal of our heart and breaks our pride. it places us within the skin of the other. and in this place, the skin of the other, we have eliminated the space in between which disfigures and have become compassion which restores and re-figures.

Q/ what steps will you take/have you taken to leave the ghetto? what are some ways your local community is living into redemption by forgiving others? and what has been your experience of “getting into the skin of the other person” that you may be compassion, singing into the dark?

*kate dicamillo