Rejoice, Rejoice

Rejoice for the day

of the redemption of the saints.

Rejoice for the hour

of salvation for the wounded.

Sing on the way

so that not a single soul faints.

Sing with great power

to tell the enemy he is ended.

We will be glad for what is done

and we will dance like our youth.

For the joy of overcoming sorrows

is born in the light of great truth.

The Lights

Stars, my friend, must be one of the things

That keep me up at night,

Because they are just like the sun:

Even when clouds cover my vision

I still have expectant confidence that

They are there.

And beyond that,

They remind me of you—

All the things you’ve done,

All the things you do

And all the things I don’t know yet.

They remind me of my life,

A gift I’ve received to use to shine.

Maybe it’s been hidden away for some time,

But maybe I let it out every now and then

When I remember the lights above

And how they keep me up at night.

No matter how dizzying the evening becomes,

I know I have something to hold on to,

Like you and all of life that’s true.

So just show me the way

And I will hike on

With the earth beneath me,

With my heart still beating,

With the lights above...

With the lights at my side...

With light healing...

With light...

With light....

So comes the dark night,

But there is light.

Contention (Shabbat XIV)

Contend, O Yahweh,

With those who contend with me;

Fight against those

Who fight against me.

Won’t you be the most powerful voice

Singing to me in my sleep

In the night and in the day

As I find these ditches to leap?

Won’t you show me how to wrap my hands

Around the pocketknife of grace,

The blade of freedom that reflects

Like a bright reminder of this race?

Won’t you take up shield and buckler

And arise to come to my aid—

And I don’t underestimate it;

I don’t underestimate the price you paid.

The spear that was stuck into his side

To show us the blessing of the price

Holds nothing to the spear I’m asking for

As I attempt to learn the meaning of sacrifice.

And I just long to know,

I just long to be sure,

I just long to hear it—

Father, won’t you say it?

Tell my soul,

“I am your salvation.”

And then I will rest.

And now my prayer is complete.

Thawing

He watched the drops of water
Fall from his hand,
From the snow melting on his palm,
From the meeting of cold and warm,
And splash on the wooden floor
Where a puddle formed.

His hand was numb,
But he didn’t move it—
Just watched and waited.

It turned from frozen to liquid
Just there in his hand.
It just happened.

And so the snow melted away,
It turned to water.
So he found a rag and soaked up the puddle
And wrung out the cloth into a pan.

He placed the pan on the stove
And turned on the heat.
Could it become any warmer?

He put a hand to his chest
And sighed.
It was so warm, this feeling,
So warm.
He desired to find out if it could become any warmer.