musings of Kimiko Karpoff - Easter
After the Locusts
Do not fear,
be glad and rejoice
After the locusts,
the swarmed and cut down
barren pastures
will be green again
the harvest will return even greater
fig trees and vines heavy with fruit
Do not fear
be glad and rejoice
After the locusts, the rains will fall
abundant rain, quenching rain
early rain and later rain.
Your bins filled with plump grain
and your barrels full of wine and oil.
Do not fear
be glad and rejoice
After the locusts
you will eat and be satisfied
and you will know that I am in your midst
I am always in your midst, but now you will remember
Do not fear
Be glad and rejoice
locusts may not come again
but something will
bidden or unbidden
another affliction, another trial
another moment of life
of life!
truly in all life well-lived there is suffering
yet suffering also sweetens joy
After the locusts
you will remember the barren fields
and wonder how you could have doubted me
doubted the regreening
doubted that rain would fall again
doubted the banquet
the banquet!
the table that I have promised
in remembrance
bread
wine
body
covenant
Do not fear
be glad and rejoice
after the locusts
life starts again, life transformed
re-growth
re-new-al
re-birth
Do no fear
be glad and rejoice
there is no resurrection without death
Amen
Joel 2:21-27; Matthew 6: 25 - 33
~
Anticipation
Anticipation
knowing something is going to happen
tomorrow we break bread together and wash each other's feet
enjoying the moments together
not understanding it would be the last,
no matter how many times you said so to me, to all of us.
It's not that we didn't listen. It was beyond comprehending so we didn't understand.
We love you, Rabbouni.
We wanted this never to end.
Now we know that end was necessary for new life.
Now we understand that a world of justice was worth dying for.
And we're sorry we haven't yet made it happen.
You stood your ground and died for it.
And God did such a beautiful thing.
Crucifixion would not be the last word.
Here we muddled things.
We've misunderstood what you were aiming for.
And we've misunderstood salvation.
And here we are again, reminded that you died to tell the world that justice is not only necessary, but possible,
that heaven is how we create the earth.
That salvation is the integrity with which we hold all life.
So we walk through your death again, to remember.
and on Sunday we celebrate that God gave us another chance,
gives us that chance every year.
The chance to celebrate and be inspired to live you into the world.
March 27, 2013
~
At the Foot of the Cross
He is risen, ideed!
lying here at the foot of the cross
empty
bone weary fatigue seeping into the ground
I feel the dust beneath my face and hands,
smell the sweat and fear
the cross is empty
the tomb is empty
my emptiness begins to . . .
to drain? to fill? I don't know. It changes.
and I feel a hand on the small of my back
hear my name
I want to melt into that touch
I hear my own voice call back, "Rabbouni!"
Everything has changed
I don't know how but the wind has shifted, the air is clearer.
Time to go
I get up and go to my friends, my spouse
It's a long walk home to Emmaus
March 31, 2013
~
Teacher
Rabbouni
you taught me to laugh joyously
eat heartily
open the table wide
reach out
and let myself be touched
listen deeply
calm storms
and heal the kin-dom into being
you taught me to climb the mountain to pray first
to empty myself so God can fill me
you taught me to stand against systems that destroy humanity
to call the best out of people
to be kind
to give myself
to serve
Rabbouni, teach me
February 27, 2013
~
Toward Jerusalem
walking toward Jerusalem
steps do not falter
heart does not waver
companionship brings energy for the journey
each conversation
each healing
every witnessing oppression
every loaf and fish in a hungry tummy
makes each step more necessary
defending the kingdom even to the death
with life
February 26, 2013
~
Story Unfolds
the story unfolds as it's told
love rising to overcome hurt billowing
come now
walk with me
I will listen your story alive
you will speak me into being
we are each other's
you know, that which makes us
you are my gift
I am your joy
the delight of the world
who am I?
how dare you
how dare you not know
that you are God's wonder,
God's creation
roll out the story
roll it out
speak it, live it into being
It's an amazing thing, holy God,
to speak your kingdom from my mouth
September 4, 2011
Do not fear,
be glad and rejoice
After the locusts,
the swarmed and cut down
barren pastures
will be green again
the harvest will return even greater
fig trees and vines heavy with fruit
Do not fear
be glad and rejoice
After the locusts, the rains will fall
abundant rain, quenching rain
early rain and later rain.
Your bins filled with plump grain
and your barrels full of wine and oil.
Do not fear
be glad and rejoice
After the locusts
you will eat and be satisfied
and you will know that I am in your midst
I am always in your midst, but now you will remember
Do not fear
Be glad and rejoice
locusts may not come again
but something will
bidden or unbidden
another affliction, another trial
another moment of life
of life!
truly in all life well-lived there is suffering
yet suffering also sweetens joy
After the locusts
you will remember the barren fields
and wonder how you could have doubted me
doubted the regreening
doubted that rain would fall again
doubted the banquet
the banquet!
the table that I have promised
in remembrance
bread
wine
body
covenant
Do not fear
be glad and rejoice
after the locusts
life starts again, life transformed
re-growth
re-new-al
re-birth
Do no fear
be glad and rejoice
there is no resurrection without death
Amen
Joel 2:21-27; Matthew 6: 25 - 33
~
Anticipation
Anticipation
knowing something is going to happen
tomorrow we break bread together and wash each other's feet
enjoying the moments together
not understanding it would be the last,
no matter how many times you said so to me, to all of us.
It's not that we didn't listen. It was beyond comprehending so we didn't understand.
We love you, Rabbouni.
We wanted this never to end.
Now we know that end was necessary for new life.
Now we understand that a world of justice was worth dying for.
And we're sorry we haven't yet made it happen.
You stood your ground and died for it.
And God did such a beautiful thing.
Crucifixion would not be the last word.
Here we muddled things.
We've misunderstood what you were aiming for.
And we've misunderstood salvation.
And here we are again, reminded that you died to tell the world that justice is not only necessary, but possible,
that heaven is how we create the earth.
That salvation is the integrity with which we hold all life.
So we walk through your death again, to remember.
and on Sunday we celebrate that God gave us another chance,
gives us that chance every year.
The chance to celebrate and be inspired to live you into the world.
March 27, 2013
~
At the Foot of the Cross
He is risen, ideed!
lying here at the foot of the cross
empty
bone weary fatigue seeping into the ground
I feel the dust beneath my face and hands,
smell the sweat and fear
the cross is empty
the tomb is empty
my emptiness begins to . . .
to drain? to fill? I don't know. It changes.
and I feel a hand on the small of my back
hear my name
I want to melt into that touch
I hear my own voice call back, "Rabbouni!"
Everything has changed
I don't know how but the wind has shifted, the air is clearer.
Time to go
I get up and go to my friends, my spouse
It's a long walk home to Emmaus
March 31, 2013
~
Teacher
Rabbouni
you taught me to laugh joyously
eat heartily
open the table wide
reach out
and let myself be touched
listen deeply
calm storms
and heal the kin-dom into being
you taught me to climb the mountain to pray first
to empty myself so God can fill me
you taught me to stand against systems that destroy humanity
to call the best out of people
to be kind
to give myself
to serve
Rabbouni, teach me
February 27, 2013
~
Toward Jerusalem
walking toward Jerusalem
steps do not falter
heart does not waver
companionship brings energy for the journey
each conversation
each healing
every witnessing oppression
every loaf and fish in a hungry tummy
makes each step more necessary
defending the kingdom even to the death
with life
February 26, 2013
~
Story Unfolds
the story unfolds as it's told
love rising to overcome hurt billowing
come now
walk with me
I will listen your story alive
you will speak me into being
we are each other's
you know, that which makes us
you are my gift
I am your joy
the delight of the world
who am I?
how dare you
how dare you not know
that you are God's wonder,
God's creation
roll out the story
roll it out
speak it, live it into being
It's an amazing thing, holy God,
to speak your kingdom from my mouth
September 4, 2011
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