“Verum vitae (For John 1)”: a poem

Verum vitae (For John 1)

When Jesus said

there will be wars and rumors of wars

he was not saying

we should resign ourselves to such existence

rather he was saying

in every moment of our lives

whether there be pain or strife

or the gray cloud of grief

or the cold touch of uncertainty

there is a pulse beating deep down

beneath the illusions that lure the eye

beneath the lies stoked by the clever ones

there is a pulse of life

a flow of true life

in every moment a buried treasure

a pearl of great price

a bush burning brightly

waiting for us to open our eyes

and behold the most precious thing

put another way

in every moment of our lives

we are being burned

but not consumed

enflamed by that presence

but never turned to ash

Stuart

Christmas 2024