Sister Carmen Bernos de Gasztold was a Benedictine nun and gifted writer. In her book entitled Prayers from the Ark, the French poet gave voice to God’s creatures who sailed with Noah.

During a season of summer reruns, I am sharing again a sampling of my favorite poems. Today’s selection features the busy, buzzing, bequests of The Prayer of the Bee.

Lord,

I am not one to despise Your gifts.

May You be blessed

Who spread the riches of Your sweetness

For my zeal . . . .

Let my small span of ardent life

Melt into our great communal task;

To lift up to Your glory

This temple of sweetness,

A citadel of incense,

A holy candle, myriad-celled,

Molded of Your graces

And of my hidden work.

Amen.

Sister Carmen Bernos de Gasztold was a Benedictine nun and gifted writer. In her book entitled Prayers from the Ark, the French poet gave voice to God’s creatures who sailed with Noah.

During a season of summer reruns, I am sharing again a sampling of my favorite poems. Enjoy The Prayer of the Little Ducks.

Dear God,

Give us a flood of water. 

Let it rain tomorrow and always.

Give us plenty of little slugs

and other luscious things to eat.

Protect all folk who quack

and everyone who knows how to swim!

Sister Carmen Bernos de Gasztold was a Benedictine nun and gifted writer. In her book entitled Prayers from the Ark, the French poet gave voice to God’s creatures who sailed with Noah.

During a season of summer reruns, I am sharing again a sampling of my favorite poems. The Prayer of the Parrot reminds me of the task of preaching.

Did you say something, Lord?

Oh! I thought You were speaking to me.

You are silent?

Are You afraid I shall tell Your secrets?

It’s true I’m a little talkative

but, at times, that is useful:

Heads are thick, slow to understand,

and have to be told things again and again.

If You need me, I am your servant,

one who never grows tired

of repeating the same word again and again,

which has its power:

I may grow tedious but people listen

in spite of themselves;

and what is repeated, repeated, repeated,

stays in the memory.

When may I serve Your infinite wisdom?

Think of it Lord. Amen.

Sister Carmen Bernos de Gasztold was a Benedictine nun and gifted writer. In her book entitled Prayers from the Ark, the French poet gave voice to God’s creatures who sailed with Noah.

During a season of summer reruns, I am sharing again a sampling of my favorite poems. Today’s selection features the flitter, flutter, flailing of The Prayer of the Butterfly.

Lord!

Where was I?

Oh, yes! This flower, this sun, thank you!

Your world is beautiful!

This scent of roses . . .

Where was I?

A drop of dew

rolls to sparkle in a lily’s heart.

I have to go . . .

Where? I do not know!

The wind has painted fancies

on my wings.

Fancies . . .

Where was I?

Oh, yes! Lord,

I had something to tell you.

Amen!

Our summer worship series at Northside Church is entitled “Blessed to Be a Blessing.” We will explore the eight Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:1-12. The passage introduces the Sermon on the Mount.

The sermon’s familiarity might disguise its revolutionary message. Jesus described the radical nature of Christian discipleship, calling for complete commitment. He made a series of earth-shaking statements, culminating with the challenge, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect!” (Matthew 5:48)

Note that Jesus was teaching the disciples. He was not telling the crowds how to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Instead, he was instructing his followers how to live within the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus did NOT describe a way to salvation through human effort. This was the mistake the scribes and Pharisees made. They attempted to reduce the Law to a series of actions that could be defined and measured. This works-righteousness approach viewed salvation as a transactional analysis: do these things in order to gain salvation.

Jesus invited the disciples into a new reality. He succinctly summarized the call to salvation in the words, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” In the Sermon on the Mount, he described the kingdom life of those who have been saved. Works complement faith. Believers practice these spiritual principles in response to God’s salvation.

It’s a shocking message, and Jesus’ words turned the world’s values upside down. The Lord challenged the disciples to a radically different lifestyle as citizens of heaven’s kingdom. Kay Arthur calls the Beatitudes the “Be-Attitudes” because they describe the attitude and aptitude of Christian disciples.

Join us in person or online this Sunday at Northside Church as we begin a journey through the Beatitudes.