The Seasons: A Poem

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Sunrise over Amazing Grasses Family Farm The mad Artist wields His brush, Painted colors rush, To life and give flush, Before the quiet autumn hush. The life seems to pour, As colors fall to the floor, To be seen no more, Outside the dark, grey door. Brightness from below, Sun upon the snow, High, cold clouds blow, Flakes and ice appear to grow. The man melts with little seen, Underneath, pale, grey green, Hides life in dark unseen, Waits for warmth and to careen. Buds on branches show, Patience starts to grow, Trickles, streams and veins flow, Bringing fruits of melted snow. Sprung to life it springs, Bees, birds, sound rings, Lush green flings, Its gift bounty brings. Green growth gives one last rush, Underneath the Painter's brush. The mad Artist wields His brush, before the quiet autumn hush. More poetry is available from James M. Hahn in  The Last Dragon and Other Poems  available now. My new book of cryptogram puzzles " Secret Messages from the Saints " is avai
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Faces set toward the Heavenly Jerusalem

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Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth week of Ordinary Time

Memorial of Saint Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church

I have often heard the following phrase uttered by folks around the parish when someone asks them how they are doing, "Well, I'm on the right side of the grass today and that's a good thing." This response always bothers me because I believe, as Christians, things could be a whole lot better if we, our bodies specifically, were underneath that same grass! I think a better response would be, "God has chosen to give me another day to know, love, and serve Him."

As Christians, like Job in the first reading - They wait for death and it comes not; they search for it rather than for hidden treasures, Rejoice in it exultingly, and are glad when they reach the grave - we long for death. We long to move beyond "this vale of tears" and into our true promised land. Yet we are tied to the people, places, and things of this world. There is nothing wrong with being tied to these if our attitude is that of St. Paul's in the Letter to the Philippians, "And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit." As hard as it is to accept and live out, if we want to stay on earth so that others will grow in the Lord that is a good thing, but if we want to stay because we are fond of friends, things, etc., we must seriously re-examine our belief in the life promised us by Christ.

In the Gospel we are given an example of what our attitude should be in journeying toward Heaven. The Gospel says, "his face was set toward Jerusalem."(RSV-CE) He was not going to be deterred either by ill-meaning Samaritans or well-meaning disciples.

We too must "set our face toward Jerusalem" the Heavenly Jerusalem and allow nothing to deter us. Neither ill-meaning people tempted by the devil to knock us off track nor well-meaning friends who inadvertently distract us with the cares of this world must be allowed to keep us from our goal.

FROM THE SAINTS - "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." - Saint Jerome

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