Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom….
                  —Matthew 25.1

Jesus tells a story: bridesmaids await a groom who is delayed. Some run out of oil. The others won’t give up their oil, so those who are short go out to buy more. When the groom comes, they’re off at the hardware store. They return to the party too late to be admitted.

We think the maidens are “foolish” because they didn’t plan for the groom’s long delay (as if that’s a spiritual issue). And we suppose they had no choice but to dash off to get oil, and, sadly, they miss the groom. But is that really the point? Were they really just the lighting crew? Does it occur to them (or us) that maybe they could just run out of oil, and the groom will be glad to see them because he’d rather have their company than their flashlights? Their purpose is to meet the groom—but right when he needs them most, they’re off taking care of their own worries. They aren’t there for him.

But they’re not alone. Everybody in the story fails to be there for each other. The “wise” maidens could have shared. It wouldn’t have killed them. But they make their sisters go shopping at midnight— and are happy to go to the party without them. They’re not willing to be there for the others.

And the groom—in what way is he not a jerk? He won’t let his friends come to the party—because they’re late? After he himself has made them wait all fracking night?? And on top of that he insults them, saying, “I don’t know you!” He vaporizes his friendship over tardiness? Wow. What a prince of selfishness.

So what’s Jesus up to in this story? I think he’s setting us up. We’re so anxious to “get” the story, to believe something pious about it, to judge between wise and foolish, we miss the actual relationships—like the maidens out buying moral-of-the-story oil instead of just being there. Life is about relationships, not lamps. It really doesn’t matter what we think, or how much “oil in our lamps” we have, or how well others meet our expectations. What matters is that we’re there for each other.

Pray that you might run out of oil, having given it away to be there for someone in need. Trust the Bridegroom will be happy for you to be there.

   —November 7, 2017

Blessed are they who are devastated,
         for theirs is the realm of heaven.

Blessed are they who grieve for this country,
         for they shall be comforted.

Blessed they who are nonviolent,
         for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who long for a culture of peace
         for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are they who seek healing, not revenge,
         for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are they who desire only blessing for all,
         for they shall see God.

Blessed are they who work for the healing of the world,
         for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who meet opposition
         in their work for peace and justice,
         for theirs is the realm of heaven.
Blessed are you when people dismiss and insult you.
         Rejoice, and be glad:
         great is your reward in the heart of all things,
for in just this way
         they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

   —November 6, 2017
 

         See what love God has given us,
         that God claims us as children.
                  —1 John 3.1

Let this be.
Relax the weird resistance we all suffer.
She holds you, infant, in her arms,
gazes with eyes of galaxies at you,
smiles the sunrise at you.
There’s nothing you can do, infant,
to stir or still her love,
no way you can be the adult here.

Remember this
in all your heroic battles,
your miraculous becomings.
You are the living image
of the Lovely One.

God is the sun of love within you.
Vessel of divine delight,
you bear this magnificence into the world.
This can’t be changed or diminished.
Let this be your confidence, your hope,
your courage.
                        

   —November 3, 2017
 

We carry their ashes
with ours.

Among us
they still become.

They,
no longer dust,

remind us
of our dust.

Their all,
their did and didn’t,

their should, their were,
teach us.

How we spend this journey
becoming them.

They whisper,
“Love.”

They whisper,
“Now.”
 

   —November 2, 2017

God kneels
on the street

Silence
It’s been like this

ten thousand years
Still kneeling

weeping
hand outstretched

My children
No judgment, no ire

Whole-making music
under our broken song

If only the others
could hear

Deep silence
Gentle weeping

My children
                        

   —November 1, 2017

Inside that monster
there is a lovely child.
You know that.

Inside every monster
is an adorable child.
Do you know that?

Beneath this suit, that nice outfit,
beneath that street-soiled mess,
is a precious child.

The costumes run deep, of course,
and become convincing.
But you know better, right?

You’ve learned to ignore them, right?
When do you take yours off?
Just be lovely?

                  •

In this ribboned world,
its feathers and fabrics
and patchwork humanity,

everything you see
is the costume
of the Lovely One.

   —October 31, 2017

Blessed are the homeless
         for they shall find belonging in God.

Blessed are they who have lost much
         for they shall be given joy.

Blessed are those who have been silenced
         for God sings in harmony with them.  

Blessed are they who have been shamed
         for their glory shines like the noonday sun.

Blessed are they who stand firm
         for God will be their firmness.

Blessed are the truthful,
         for they are light in the darkness.

Blessed are they who wonder
         for they shall be called wonderful.

Blessed are they who are afraid
         and yet choose love
         for theirs is the dominion of God.
Blessed are you when the path is frightful
         and you know all manner of fear
         and you choose love anyway.
Blessed are you, and blessed is your place
         in the heart of all things.

   —October 30, 2017

     
         You shall love the Holy One your God
         with all your heart
         and with all your soul and with all your mind.
                  —Matthew 22.37

Beautiful One,
even walking toward you
I am falling.
Even as I sit beside you
something in my gut drops,
lets go
         inside you.

I think about you in night moments
with desire that isn’t craving.
I look for you everywhere.
I see your arms around me
until I see them.
I feel your breath on me
         inside me.

I am told to fear, to worship,
to believe, to save my soul,
but that’s not love.
I forget my soul
         for you.

I’m wounded by your sadness,
revived by your hope.
I want happiness for you.
Ah, what I would do for you!
I want for you all beauty,
all joy, all wholeness,
for you, beloved,
                           for you.                       

   —October 27, 2017
 

         Love your neighbor as yourself.
                  —Matthew 22.39

Neighbor,
stranger,
you are my self,
the rest of me,
my dark other,
my thrown shadow,,
of God,
beloved
         if only I will see.

How I treat you
is how I treat
my own hidden self,
unspeaking,
longing,
waiting for me to set free
         my own blessing.

Mirror,
neighbor,
my only wish
is that you
receive love;
deeply
         receive love.

   —October 26, 2017

From my attempts
to be right,
to protect myself,
to win,
to survive—
anything other than to love,

you save me
only
by loving me.

Beloved,
be my heart.
 

   —October 25, 2017