Monday, June 22 \u2013 Joseph A. Brown, S.J. written for a Jesuit soul friend Joshua Peters, celebrating Joshua\u2019s ordination as a priest on June 20 of this year.<\/p>\n
And Here I Stand on Fire<\/p>\n
“two women wiped my face
\nheld my hands\u00a0and stood
\nwith me\u201d<\/p>\n
Joseph Brown wrote a poem for me in May 1970 to commemorate my ordination as a priest on the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation.\u00a0 As long ago as that was, I still carry the poem with me \u2013 \u201cNote to a Priest.\u201d \u00a050 years later, Joseph wrote another young Jesuit a poem for his ordination this past Saturday. \u00a0It means a lot to me that I have a place in this long tradition of strong, serious poems about a moment of commitment taken with uncertainty about one\u2019s future as it begins.<\/p>\n
Best to read these two poems slowly, with pauses. \u00a0Perhaps slowly enough to imagine the 50 years that connect these two gifts from a first rate poet, Joseph Brown.<\/p>\n
Have a blest week,<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
john sj<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Post #1 – And Here I Stand on Fire (June 20, 2020)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAs they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, <\/em><\/p>\n who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, <\/em><\/p>\n they made him carry it behind Jesus<\/em>.\u201d (Luke 23:26)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oh\u00a0 I know\u00a0 the story<\/p>\n that somehow\u00a0 I was seized by the soldiers<\/p>\n to walk<\/p>\n behind him<\/p>\n the burden of the day<\/p>\n heavier by far<\/p>\n than a single bar of wood<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But\u00a0 I know<\/p>\n how I fell out<\/p>\n into the road<\/p>\n as they pulled him along<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My breath caught my throat\u00a0\u00a0 constricted<\/p>\n water streaming down my face<\/p>\n Oh\u00a0 I know<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He stumbled \u00a0\u00a0he shook<\/p>\n he groaned<\/p>\n and I looked into his bloody eyes<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They never seized me<\/p>\n He did<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I grabbed the wood<\/p>\n I could not lift him<\/p>\n from the dirt\u00a0\u00a0 I could not leave<\/p>\n I could only see his back\u00a0\u00a0 his legs<\/p>\n <\/p>\n II.<\/p>\n When the stumbling stopped<\/p>\n the beasts<\/p>\n pushed me back\u00a0 into the crowd<\/p>\n two women wiped my face<\/p>\n held my hands\u00a0\u00a0 and stood<\/p>\n with me<\/p>\n until the silence and the dark descended<\/p>\n <\/p>\n III.<\/p>\n They brought me to the hall<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Men I did not know made me bathe<\/p>\n drink\u00a0 what little wine they could spare<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was not sleep<\/p>\n it was a falling into nothing<\/p>\n I could dream<\/p>\n <\/p>\n IV.<\/p>\n Days and nights made<\/p>\n no difference<\/p>\n <\/p>\n V.<\/p>\n Please let me cry this\u00a0 to you<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Again the air grew warm<\/p>\n we all grabbed each other and leaned<\/p>\n into fear<\/p>\n the door\u00a0\u00a0 disappeared<\/p>\n and I saw<\/p>\n His eyes<\/p>\n his eyes<\/p>\n as steady as a fisher\u2019s net<\/p>\n pulled me to him<\/p>\n Again I fell<\/p>\n and never broke the stare<\/p>\n His<\/p>\n hand upon my head<\/p>\n please let me<\/p>\n cry<\/p>\n His hand<\/p>\n and I said<\/p>\n Yes<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And here I stand<\/p>\n on fire with his eyes<\/p>\n his hand<\/p>\n upon me still<\/p>\n <\/p>\n for the Ordination of Joshua Peters, SJ — Luke<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Post #2 – Note to a Priest (May 25, 1970)<\/strong><\/p>\n this is not an easy age to handle mystery and myth<\/p>\n it is a time of disposable gods and quickly fashioned<\/p>\n signs and wonders<\/p>\n we have been brave enough to bury demons or burn them<\/p>\n or lock them into the dark places where they are not<\/p>\n heard<\/p>\n and soon even dead bones will rise without a secret<\/p>\n magic or a silent oath<\/p>\n <\/p>\n if you choose to walk among us and allow the smell<\/p>\n of blood to feed your prophecies and move you to<\/p>\n forgiveness your vision is suspect to madness and<\/p>\n we will turn away<\/p>\n <\/p>\n we say this\u00a0\u00a0 we have no need of you\u00a0 we are content<\/p>\n with our earth and our air and whatever gives us life<\/p>\n this has been decided<\/p>\n <\/p>\n and yet there is something in us that our courage will<\/p>\n not redeem<\/p>\n we have not outlived icarus and still fear the dark places<\/p>\n <\/p>\n if you will stand there and point out the sun we may<\/p>\n come and follow you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n luke\u00a0 1970<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Monday, June 22 \u2013 Joseph A. Brown, S.J. written for a Jesuit soul friend Joshua Peters, celebrating Joshua\u2019s ordination as a priest on June 20 of this year. And Here I Stand on Fire “two women wiped my face held … Continue reading
\n20 June 2020<\/em><\/p>\n