07 December 2004

Journal Reflections, Calcutta

"his presence"

it was the sound of angels praying,
the sound of reverent holy holy holy and alleluia,
the sound of fulfillment of a thousand promises
whispered in the hush
of his father's astounding and perfect presence enfleshed.

it spoke of healing, it communicated comfort to the suffering,
gave sight to the blind, gave life to the dead.
it was the sound of footfalls of human diety on roads full of human brokenness.

it was the voice of a man who knows his identity as God's beloved
heard celebrating at wedding feasts,
heard preaching on hills filled with thousands hungry for living bread,
heard commanding the stormy sea to be still
heard giving new life to the prostitute with the words "your faith has saved you, go in peace."
in his presence there was washing of feet,
crying out in prayer,
sacrifice of bodily life unto death on a cross.
we eat his body, we drink his blood,
we taste his presence in our lives.
we remember his life and sing,
we see our unworthiness of such a savior and we fall to our knees.

we put the righteousness and perfection of his sacrificed life onto our lives, and then
we learn what it means to make our lives a pleasing aroma to him,
and with every breath we cry out your kingdom come, your presence come to our lives.