Some Christmas poetry shared at Carleton's lectionary group today... Ellie elliestock@aol.com IF YOU WANT If you want the Virgin will come walking down the road pregnant with the holy, and say, “I need shelter for the night, please take me inside your heart, my time is so close.” Then, under the roof of your soul, you will witness the sublime intimacy, the divine, the Christ taking birth forever, as she grasps your hand for help, for each of us is the midwife of God, each of us. Yet there, under the dome of your being does creation come into existence eternally, through your womb, dear pilgrim— the sacred womb in your soul, as God grasps our arms for help; for each of us is His beloved servant never far. If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the street pregnant with Light and sing ... --St. John of the Cross, “If You Want” translated by Daniel Ladinsky in Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West (New York: Penguin Group, 2002), 306-307. If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things, And again with things; If we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action; When will we have the time to make the long, slow journey across the burning desert, as did the Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the child, as did Mary? For each of us: There is a desert to travel, A star to discover, And a being within ourselves to bring to life. by Raymond Hunthausen Journey of the Magi Journey of the Magi 'A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways de... T. S. Eliot reads "Journey of the Magi" T. S. Eliot reads "Journey of the Magi" Check out my Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/bob_toomey. A rare recording taken from a live interview T. S. ...