under the ashes
under the crease of skin
flesh bone brain body
air fire water earth metal
under the ashes
elements of nature
nature made
by holiness and love
under the ashes
minds and hearts
groan and admit
the need to repent
as faithful penitents
who give, pray, fast
in secret, in quiet
under the ashes
holiness and love
sees in secret
and allows life to bud
under the ashes
under the top soil
into the darkness of mystery
truth is real
seeds break open
roots reach deep
stems reach up
truth revealed
under the ashes
holiness and love
sees in secret
allowing life to bud
under the ashes
we all are
we all contain
elements of penitents
as seedlings for fruits
of holiness and love
Episode 63 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Stitcher | Email | RSS | More “Prayer has to push you to do something outside yourself.” -Kristina Ortega IN THIS EPISODE For the latest episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia is in conversation with Catholic educator and inclusivity advocate Kristina Ortega. Their conversation…
We rise with sleep in our eyes. We dance on the broken ground. We run to town to tell the news. In the grave? Not there, no more! Somehow and someway, life has won. Easter morning has arrived. Hooray! Satan sees that God’s Truth teases. Freedom lives. Love is power. Peace redeems. “Ha, take that!” …
The air is palpably different, more alive, almost tingling to the touch. The round room always feels like entering home and my gaze is fixed on one spot. Sometimes a river of warmth comes toward me and holiness is not even the right word to describe a feeling this immense. At the same moment, the…
by Guest Blogger Emily Dawson I am writing this in a laundromat. I used to have my own wash machine and dryer, house and garage and lots and lots of counter space too–used to. Basically, life happened. And I will say that while washing, drying and folding your intimates in the privacy of your own home is…
My week alone is coming to an end. I’ve been in hermit mode, making a retreat in a cabin in the woods. It’s truly been a grace to be here, to escape from my normal routines and offer some focused energy to a big project. The solitude became a shelter; the quiet like a balm…
It’s St. Francis day and we have a Pope Francis! Thanks be to God, Pope Francis is really using his time in leadership to make big changes and redefine roles. Basically Pope Francis is doing a great job of honoring his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi. This is really good news for Franciscans like me who…