Today, we can touch our God.
Today God’s own hand is stretched out to us. Remarkably it is the hand
of an infant. And just like every infant does, he squeezes the finger of
his mother, and ours too. Yet, do not be mistaken, this little hand
made and fashioned us. From this little hand the universe tumbled forth
and this little hand and steers the stars in their courses. This hand
touches us today and we touch our God. Even the angels cannot do this.
A magnificent mystery is before us.
The infinite is an infant. He who looks down upon all creation now
looks up from a cradle. He who spoke worlds into existence, now sounds
forth with the cry of an infant. Another old Latin hymn captures mystery
and the warmth of the moment: Alpha et O, matris in gremio
(Alpha and omega is sitting in mommy’s lap). And from his mother’s lap
he beckons us to approach and touch him. This day, we touch our God, and
God touches us.
We desperately need this touch,
this contact with our God, this hand is stretched out to heal and save.
We had grown old in our sins, and this infant child draws us back to
the joy and innocence of our youth. This outstretched hand of our God
will heal the sick and the leprous, raise up the paralyzed and the dead.
This hand will drive out demons and rebuke the storm tossed waves. This
hand will be nailed to a cross to save us.
He still touches us in the Sacraments
– This hand it still stretched out to you and me right now in the
sacraments to cleanse us in Baptism, anoint us in Confirmation, feed us
in Holy Communion, absolve us in Confession, heal us in the Anointing of
the Sick, join some of us in Holy Matrimony and some of us in ordained
ministry. In some particular way the Lord touches us to bring us
healing and blessing.
read all of it here. I am reminded of the poem "Highflight"
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment