I am always fascinated by how the poetry of Mary Oliver moves me. she can speak deep spiritual truths just by writing a few words.
In her work "Messenger" she beings by saying "My work is loving the world." That work is more than just Mary's, rather it is an invitation for all of us to join in that work of loving the world.
Just yesterday, as I was teaching a confirmation class and as we spoke about the aspect of God as creator (and recalling the Genesis stories) I said to them "Tread carefully as you walk through the world. God has deemed creation good, and those whom you like an dislike God considers holy." It's all related...we are connected, we are holy, and our primary work is not what we think it is...rather we are called to love the world.
Here is Mary Oliver's work The Messenger:
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird-equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,
which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is that we live forever.
Yours for the reign of God,
Ron
In her work "Messenger" she beings by saying "My work is loving the world." That work is more than just Mary's, rather it is an invitation for all of us to join in that work of loving the world.
Just yesterday, as I was teaching a confirmation class and as we spoke about the aspect of God as creator (and recalling the Genesis stories) I said to them "Tread carefully as you walk through the world. God has deemed creation good, and those whom you like an dislike God considers holy." It's all related...we are connected, we are holy, and our primary work is not what we think it is...rather we are called to love the world.
Here is Mary Oliver's work The Messenger:
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird-equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,
which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is that we live forever.
Yours for the reign of God,
Ron
