Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Holy Wednesday

"Jesus said to him, 'Do quickly what you are going to do.'” John 13:27b

ironic, isn't it,
how we have 
to be cautious
in confronting injustice -
forming committees,
going through draft after
draft of action plans, and
then revising them once more.
or how slow our pace becomes
when we are asked to walk
over to the immigrant family
who has just moved in 
to invite them to the weekly
gathering of neighbors.
but 
betraying you
denying you
forgetting you?
those only seem to take
a New York minute.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Holy Tuesday

"'While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.' After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them." John 12:26

we talk (and sometimes
joke) about being afraid
of night's shadows, yet we
long for its comforting embrace.
we tell others to turn 
their faces towards the
light which can warm them
but then turn to look for 
the ice-cold dementors
hoping they will catch up.
we sing of that little light
which is ours and would
never be blown out, and 
then breathe a sigh of relief
when it begins to flicker, just
waiting for it to disappear.

and so, we join you in 
trying to hide from that
light which would expose
our fears, our doubts, our lives
even as you seemed to do.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman


Monday, March 25, 2024

Thoughts on a fig tree

"In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Then Peter remembered and said to him, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.' Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God.  Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea," and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.'"
'Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.'"  Mark 11:20-25

we could water the lives
of those who annoy us
but pour bitterness into
their souls.
we could place the 
mulch of kindness around
the feet of those who frighten
us beyond measure
but pat our ground up 
snark all around them.
we could whisper words
of tenderness and hope
thinking it might transform
them into being more us,
but we stand and shake 
our fists cursing the other.

and Jesus has no need
to curse us, for our faith
has already withered 
in our hearts.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

Holy Monday

"The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth." Psalm 145:18

the palm leaves have
become new flooring 
for all the animals, while
the kids have grabbed
the branches for their games.
the cloaks and coats
have been carefully washed
and hung out to dry.
the crowd has dispersed
going back to work or
to the local pub or their
daily lives of idleness,
pretty sure they shouldn't
follow the colt-less rabbi

while you draw closer
to the One who is feeling
lonelier and lonelier as
each moment goes by.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Palm/Passion Sunday

   "he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
   Let us stand in court together.
Who are my adversaries?
   Let them confront me." Isaiah 50:8

we will joyously wave
our branches, but then 
use them to brush away
any evidence you passed by.
we will take off our 
coats and cloaks to lay
them on the ground, but
grab them up to get them
cleaned as quickly as possible.
we will smile and wave and cheer
as if we could never let you
be anything but what we have
hoped for all of our lives.
we will not challenge you
or contend with you, 
we will not confront you
nor ever become adversaries.

we will simply ignore you
which may be the cruelest 
choice
of all.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Sixth Saturday in Lent

"So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16

though we wonder
what the surgery might
discover or the treatments
might do to us, we feel your
hand holding tight to us.
though we struggle to deal
with pain which is beyond
any words or whispers, we hear
your voice, 'i am here.'
though we take steps 
on a journey we never 
expected, and are afraid
of falling, or worse, you yoke
yourself to us to give us strength.
though the days and weeks
and months and years are slowly
coming to an end, we sense you
steadfast at our side,
and we do not lose heart.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman



Friday, March 22, 2024

Sixth Friday in Lent

"They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them;" Mark 10:32a

like a dog easily distracted
by a squirrel in another's yard,
like a little kid who can turn
the last ten minutes before
bedtime into the greatest 
production of procrastination ever,
like a committee charged with
developing an action plan 
which no one cares for,
we find all sorts of excuses
for letting you get closer
to what awaits us down the road.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Sixth Thursday in Lent

"As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, 'Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" Mark 10:17

we keep chasing after
eternal life as if we need
to cross the finish line
before something (we 
don't know what) catches us,
while the life you offer 
is found in the silence
sitting on the porch
watching shooting stars,
is tasted in the meal
with friends we have not
seen in decades and yet
the conversation picks up
right where we left it,
is felt in the touch 
of the child, the grandparent,
the lover, the neighbor who
instinctively knows how 
skin hungry we are.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman