Archive for the ‘Poetry and Prayers’ Tag
Above: An Old Family Bible
Image Source = David Ball
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God of glory,
as we prepare to study the Bible,
may we approach the texts with our minds open,
our intellects engaged,
and our spirits receptive to your leading,
so that we will understand them correctly
and derive from them the appropriate lessons.
Then may we act on those lessons.
For the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Amen.
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KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 7, 2011 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF HENRY MELCHIOR MUHLENBERG, SHEPHERD OF LUTHERANISM IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES
THE FEAST OF FRED KAAN, HYMNWRITER
THE FEAST OF JOHN WOOLMAN, ABOLITIONIST
Adoration of the Shepherds (1609), by Caravaggio
Active God of grace, we laud and magnify your wondrous Name.
Christmas Day is nearly upon us again.
This annual reminder of your gracious love
fills us with awe and wonder
as we consider the ultimate purpose of the Messiah.
May we therefore thank you with our
words,
attitudes,
and deeds,
for your glory and the benefit of others.
In your Name we pray.
Amen.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 22, 2010 COMMON ERA
THE NINETEENTH OF MY CONFIRMATION INTO THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
THE FEAST DAY OF SAINT FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI, FOUNDER OF THE MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Christmas Tree
Image Source = DRO4
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Loving God,
the annual celebration of your incarnation in the form of Jesus approaches.
This should be a happy and blessed occasion.
Yet many people grieve the absence of one or more friends or family members
whom distance,
estrangement,
incarceration,
or death separate from them.
Bestow upon those who grieve
the consolation of your Holy Spirit,
that they may rejoice in your love and mercy.
We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
fully human and fully divine. Amen.
Kenneth Randolph Taylor
December 7, 2009
An Eighth-Century Mosaic of Jesus, Ravenna, Italy
May you recognize and welcome incarnations of God around you
and inside you everyday.
May we see the image of God in each other,
treat each other accordingly,
and strive to do better in this regard when we fail.
And, on this and every other day,
may we remember the rest of the story of Jesus’ life.
In the name of God, who loves us all, and whose grace alone empowers us to accomplish all these goals. Amen.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
Madonna and Child, St. John’s Anglican Church, Ashfield, New Wouth Wales, Australia
O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
You learned you were pregnant
Outside of wedlock?
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O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
The anonymous, thronging crowds
Ignored you in your hour of need in Bethlehem?
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O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
You experienced birth pangs,
As well as the stresses of parenthood?
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O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
Your eldest son confused you,
Then seemed to reject you?
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O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
You watched your eldest son die?
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O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
You buried your eldest son?
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O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
You discovered your resurrected son?
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O Blessed Mother,
How did you feel when
You ascended and became
Queen of Heaven?
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O Blessed Mother,
Strong and humble,
Faithful and human,
Intercede for us.
Amen.
Kenneth Randolph Taylor
May 30, 1997
Midnight Sun, Nordkapp, Norway
Image Source = Yan Zhang
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In the midst of
The darkness
Of night
And
Of human brokenness,
Divine light
Burst forth
To bridge the gap
Between
Humankind
And
God.
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Reconciliation
And
Atonement
Began–
Yet in the shadow in of
Another darkness–
Death.
Yet even that darkness
Fell
(In Time)
To Divine Intervention.
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The light shines in the darkness,
And frightens us,
For the darkness is familiar.
God comes to us,
And we turn away,
Out of fear,
Or willfulness,
or misplaced certainty.
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God challenges our traditions,
So we choose the familiar path,
The road well-traveled.
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Yet
The narrative can be different.
We can–
We must–
Follow the light,
Walk out of our cave,
And
Embrace the way of God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 17, 2009
http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/piercing-the-darkness/
Relief of the Nativity, St. Peter’s Cathedral, Worms, Germany
God incarnate
In full humanness
Vulnerable
Yet mighty
A mystery
To venerate
Not to attempt to understand
Kenneth Randolph Taylor
December 21, 2009
http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/nativity/
The Journey of the Magi
Image Source = Nina-No
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Traveling far and for many months
To a foreign land
To seek a king
Whose sign is in the sky
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Traveling across the desert
Leaving the comforts of home behind
To embark on a sacred quest
And a storied journey
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Traveling abroad
At great physical risk
To visit a young king
And present him gifts
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 29, 2009
http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/the-journey/
Magi
What do we see?
A young child?
A king?
God incarnate?
The Messiah?
The Savior?
A martyr?
A sage?
A revolutionary?
A threat?
A promise?
How do we understand what we see?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 7, 2010
http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/epiphanies/
ADVENT, CHRISTMAS, AND EPIPHANY DEVOTIONS 
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