Category: Reflections

But the wise bridesmaids replied,
“No! there will not be enough for you and for us;
you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.”
—Matthew 25.9

They are too “wise” to share,
having brought only enough for themselves,
putting the burden on the poor—
“wise” according to the religion
of Selfishness and Individualism.

Sharing would have avoided the whole mess.
“You do not know the day or the hour,”
Jesus says—the hour to share.

There are whole political parties
whose platform is Not Sharing.
It’s a good way to miss
the best part of the wedding:
the sharing.

___________________
The Sea Today

Enough
to fill the ocean,
the water throws itself
to the land,
and returns,
always returns.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

Nov. 6, 2020

God, we live in darkness, unseeing.
We close our eyes, and see your light.
We walk a path untrod,
only your footprints before us.

Forces of anger and evil surround us,
the power of selfishness unleashed.
We fear for our future, unknowing,
yet your love is supreme, unfailing.

Children waiting for the war’s end,
we long for the noise to stop.
But beneath the raging, your Silence
that calms our trembling hearts.

Beloved, hold us in the darkness,
our unknowing trust your praise,
your love our gravity, our end,
and tomorrow’s willing embrace.
We wait for the morning, we wait,
but your light is already here.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

November 5, 2020

Breathe. Walk.
Brush your teeth.
Lament.

Our sickness is greater
than we let ourselves think,
our wound more profound.

But so is our love.
Our grief and even despair
are the work of the Spirit in us.

Let your flesh feel your rage,
your voice find your sorrow.
Let the river flow.

We are not called to end the winter
but to bear the light
that will become the spring.

The road is long.
The Suffering One walks with us,
bearing something. Come along.

The mending of the world
is threaded with simple
kindness and courage.

Attend to the small miracles.
Even as the cold descends
we can love. We can love.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

November 4, 2020

Choose this day whom you will serve…
but as for me and my household,
we will serve the Holy One.
—Joshua 34.15

Choose, this day.
As for me, I will follow the Beloved.
I will spurn violence and all claim to dominion.
I will stand for justice:
that all may be included in the blessings of life.
With the Crucified One,
I will cast my lot, and my vote,
with the poor in spirit, and those who mourn,
with the gentle, and those who hunger for justice.
I will stand with the peacemakers
and those who are persecuted.
I will follow the one
who fed all who were hungry,
who healed all who wanted to be healed,
and welcomed all who were pushed to the margins.
I will speak only the truth, and only lovingly.
I will examine, confess and resist
my own complicity in systems that harm,
and surrender what I can
so my living may be a blessing for the poor.
I will accept the power God gives me
to resist evil, injustice, and oppression
in whatever forms they present themselves.
I will live with hope and gratitude,
with courage and generosity and kindness.
Choose this day whom you will serve,
but as for me, I will serve the God of love.

[Friends, pray for America…]

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

November 3, 2020

With tears we cry to the Beloved,
        for our hearts are heavy in the night.
Dread blankets us as the darkness;
       but the voice of the Beloved is close.

“The people will pass through a narrow place,
       and fear will seize many like a trap;
they will turn to violence and shame;
       they will seem an invincible army.

But my passion for justice will rise like the sun;
       my mercy will flow like a river.
My Spirit will arise among the gentle
       and my love will bear you up.

You will wield truth instead of a sword,
       and mercy as a shield.
You will not threaten like the weak,
       or lie and blame as those who are afraid.

My spirit of peace will strengthen you,
       and my hope will enlighten your eyes.
My love will give you courage
       and my gentleness, wisdom.

Even in the narrows, the spaciousness
       of my spirit will enlarge within you.
Though the forces of fear may march onward,
       I will give you my peace.

My children, do not fear: I am with you.
       My love will never fail.
Carry my hope in your hearts;
       take courage, and love gladly.”

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

November 2, 2020

You will hear it said
Halloween originated
in the tradition
of dressing up in scary costumes
on All Hallow’s Eve
to frighten away the demons
before the honoring of the saints.
But, no, it is not quite that.
We are dressing up
not to scare the demons
but to set them free,
for they are not out there in the dark,
the demons are within.
Halloween is when we take off our mask.
What is your worst nightmare
about yourself?
I mean, not just your pet peeve,
but your most troubling horror?
Dress it up to the max.
Now, finally, you are not pretending.
Let people see it.
Send it out into the world.
Perhaps neither of you will want so much
to see its return.
Let it go. Let it go.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

October 30, 2020

          See what love God has given us,
          that we should be called children of God.
                                        —1 John 3.1

The secret power of the blessed saints
is no sword they wield,
no influence they possess, but simply
trust that they are God’s beloved children,
and the courage to act that way
toward all others.
They know God loves them to overflowing,
the spilling of love their blessing to the world,
and the resurrecting power of God’s grace
sufficient to redeem them in all their troubles.
They dare confront the world’s evil with love,
knowing its deep power,
having opened themselves to it.

Let the mystery that we are all God’s beloved children
lead you to live so,
and treat others so.

What love we have been given,
that we, God’s children, should have love
for all God’s children.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

October 29, 2020

Blessed are you who are in prison,
      for God preserves your dignity.

Blessed are you who are depressed,
      for the Beloved holds you.

Blessed are you who are powerless
      for love is a true power.

Blessed are you who weep for justice
      for God will establish it.

Blessed are you who love in the face of hate,
      for you are vessels of God.

Blessed are you who look for God in unlikely places,
      for you will see God.

Blessed are you who are a healing presence,
      for you shall be healed.

Blessed are you when people try to silence you;
      you are in the company of saints and prophets.

Blessed are you no matter what,
      for grace will never be denied you—never.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

October 28, 2020

Yesterday, after a stringent quarantine,
our son and his fiancee came to visit.
At the door he and I hugged.
It was the first either of us
had touched anybody outside the household
for seven months.

Something in us released, rejoiced.
For a moment I remembered who I was.

These days, finally, our bodies
know what our souls have been saying all along,
how I is we,
how we hunger for one another.

Later, when the bustle returns
and the city enfolds you in its noise
remember that empty space.
Remember how that sacred child in you
is always reaching out.

Honor that hunger. It burns in everyone.
Even their scorn, even their hatred
is a reaching.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

October 27, 2020

                           Blessed are the poor in spirit…
                                          —Matthew 5.3

Jesus refutes the delusion
that attributes blessing
to the happy, the successful, the strong.
The poor know better.

They’re not blessed because they’re poor,
or heartbroken, or persecuted.
They’re blessed because God blesses them,
no matter what.

Your security, your privilege, your comfort,
your accomplishments, all your merit
are costumes you wear.
Underneath you are naked and needy.

If you wear them
know they are borrowed,
if you are stripped of them
know you are blessed.

All of us
are God’s beloved,
no more than that,
no less.

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

October 26, 2020