Lent 5: on the ledge of light

When he saw Martha weeping, Jesus began to weep.  Then Jesus, greatly disturbed, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.  Jesus said, "Take away the stone."...And they took away the stone....Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead man came out, his hand and his feet bound with strips of cloth.  Jesus said to them, "Unbind him and let him go."  (from John 11)

I have climbed out of a narrow darkness

on to a ledge of light.

I am of God; I was not made for night.

Here there is room to lift my arms and sing.

Oh, God is vast! With Him all space can come

to hold or corner or cubiculum....

I see Him now: a thousand acres.

God is a thousand acres to me now

of high sweet-smelling April and the flow

of windy light across a wide plateau.

Ah, but when love grows unitive I know

joy will upsoar, my heart sing, far more free,

having come home to God's infinity.

--Jessica Powers