Sunday, March 21, 2010




The wasp I saw working on Sunday
ignored me and went about its business
of gathering whatever it is that wasps need
from the cluster of small white flowers

near the door to the sanctuary of a church
full of music and preaching and pure light
from little flickers of Pentecost fire
burning through stained glass high up
with Jesus rising above the suffering world

out there somewhere but not here, not here
where confidence and assuredness reign
and at least the appearance of all rightness
sits side by side in comfortable pews


and one completely confident lady
under a pure white broad brimmed hat
sits ramrod straight and comfortably mute
with no need at all for the water and the blood
from the Rock of Ages to cleft for her
and almost certainly unaware of the beauty
of a single busy wasp doing what wasps do
not far from where she sits on Sunday.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Jerral,
Computer illiterate that I am, I hope this arrives.........great observation...how we try so desparetely to box in God, to tame, to anthromoporhize, to do anything we can to meet "mano et mano" with the infinite, but only in a way we can maintain "control". I feel as I think you do, that we must stand before that infinity naked, present only to accept, to receive, NOT to dictate the terms of our encounter but only to "let it be"...........Wayne

Jerral Miles said...

Wayne,
It's very satisfying to recognize that you "get it." Thanks.
Jerral

Anonymous said...

Jerral,
Youur poem about the wasp and Jesus and the woman in the hat made my Sunday. Your thoughts put into words filled me with what my soul longs for.
Today I participated in the installation of a young woman who recently came into our presbytery and is pastoring one of our vacantt churches. She is a fine woman, married to a Korean man, also ordained. They are of a different persuasion theologically from where I live and move and have my being, and I know I have a fight on my hands come next vote on the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender issue.

Sometimes I just want to walk away from the church but for some reason, at least at this point, I feel compelled to stay and try to make friends on both sides of the aisle and let my voice be heard.

It is sane people like you, with deep insight and articulate expression, that I meet along the way that keeps me going.

Thank you,
Taylor

Jerral Miles said...

Harry Wing giving the high school graduation speech...what a glorious moment when he went to each of us and blew sweet notions in our ears....

Agape'
JB

Jerral Miles said...

The comment above was sent by J.B. I somehow received it incorrectly and it appears as if I wrote it. Thanks, J.B. I like your way of seeing things.
Jerral