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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Harkening to both the Flute and the Dirge

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A violinist and flutist making music 1755
by Julius Henricus Quinkard
Matthew 11:16-19

The first reading today from the prophet Isaiah tells us, If you would harken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river... He continues with a list of other blessings for those who harken to [His] commandments.

The Psalmist continues this line of thinking: He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers.

Sounds easy enough. Follow the Lord and all will go well. Harken to His commandments and blessings will flow like wine. Simple.

Okay, maybe not. Life happens. We get a raise. We lose our job. We are healthy. We become ill. We find love. That love disappears. Joyful things happen - so do sad things. Our lives are a constant up and down. Each day is different from the next. Like the roll of the ocean waves we are taken to the heights of ecstasy only to be dropped to the depths of sorrow and despair. In the midst of the highs and lows we worry only about staying afloat and the words of the Lord appear as some unapproachable lighthouse that will never be reached and can, in fact, only be seen in glimpses.

This is normal. It is an unchangeable fact of our human state. However, the words of the prophet and Psalmist still hold true. The key is trusting in the Lord and truly harkening to His commands. The Lord never says, trust in me and life will be smooth, there will be no ups and downs. No, He commands us to harken to his commandments. That's it. Oh, and hold on, to Him.

In today's Gospel reading Jesus presents an interesting teaching related to these two passages:

Jesus said to the crowds: "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.'

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by her works."

Here He shows the danger of not harkening to the Lord's commands: lukewarmness. This wretched spiritual state (in which I've spent an inordinate amount of time) is like spiritual lethargy. The soul has become so weak and uncaring that neither joy nor sorrow moves us. 

Harkening to the Lord's commands, daily, moment by moment means riding those waves in complete trust that it is the Lord's doing. It means dancing and praising him during those times of joy. It also means mourning (or maybe dancing and praising Him) during those times of sadness and sorrow. This can only be done when we completely trust in God.

When the flute plays: joys, happiness, miracles, births, weddings, healings, etc., we dance! When the dirge is sounded: sorry, sadness, depression, death, illness, etc., we mourn. Yet, whether it is the flute or a dirge, we harken to the Lord and His commands.

This will appear crazy to those without faith! They will say, look they party too much and have too many feast days! They will say, look they fast too much and do too much penance. Yet, as Jesus Himself says, "But wisdom is vindicated by her works." 

Living with trust in God, harkening to His commands is not easy but it is wise. It is the only way to live a full life and ride those everchanging currents and waves because they are all from Him for our good. In the end, those who trust and harken, will be vindicated by this wisdom.

Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:1)

My new book of poetry, The Last Dragon and Other Poems is available now.
 
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