Our Quest for Faithful Presence

Dear St Luke’s,

I got to meet a poet named Drew Jackson during this year’s Inhabit Conference.  Drew was a pastor in New York city until accepting a new role at The Center for Action and Contemplation, with Father Richard Rohr.  I ended up picking up a couple of Drew’s collections of poetry and read them while my partner and I were in Bend, Oregon.  The two collections are poems written alongside Luke’s gospel.  A number of his pieces have been rattling around in my heart ever since.  Here is a particularly sweet one… pardon the pun.

Butterscotch Hard Candy

Luke 21:1-4 (The Widow’s Offering)

By Drew Jackson 

.

I knew she had very little,

but every visit she would

slip me a few dollars

to put in my wallet.

.

She always added

a butterscotch hard candy.

.

The sound of her

clutch snapping shut

still echoes.

I’m not always sure why some verses touch my heart, but this one does.  I’m going to hazard a guess that somewhere in your life you may have encountered the person in the poem.  That person saw you, and blessed you… it may not have been much, yet their gift fostered gratitude in your soul. 

Sometimes we feel the Spirit inviting us to bless another, and sometimes we hold back because we feel our offering is so small.  Its so important to remind ourselves the beauty in seeing another human being and blessing them with what is ours to give.  You are enough.  You are gift. Your actions “still echo.”

Just a reminder, this Sunday Pastor Mark will be preaching and presiding.  I’ll be serving in Delaware, but will be back next Sunday.  Remember friend, you are loved, and you are not alone.

Peace, dwight