.

“I’m a nobody”, said the somebody,

.     on the sunny side of the shore.

The water’s edge;

The precipice;

The moon and its tidal call.

“The somebody”, said the nobody,

“Might breathe this in with awe

But, not me,

I’m looking out to sea

Beyond the rhythm of it all

Through pierced time

.   the living Word,

.   like this water we here see,

.   pours forth,

.   turns up,

.   as waves rise,

.   when a storm arrives

.   and rain begins to fall.

From beyond this comes the Faithful One,

.   whose faithful ones He seeks,

.    He who shows the scars of the crucified

Of thorns, of nails, of spear, on side, on hands, on feet.”

(©RL2017)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1933 ‘Come, O Rescuer’:

‘Lift up your heads, the host of you who are bowed down, humiliated, despondent, like a beaten
army with heads hanging. The battle is not lost – raise your heads, the victory is yours![…]
This is no time to shake your head, to doubt and look away –
freedom, salvation, redemption is coming. Look up and wait!
Raise your heads! Be strong and without fear! – for Christ is coming!’

(Collected Sermons, Isabel Best [ed.] Fortress Press p.114)