A Poem for the Epiphany

Here is a poem I wrote a few years ago. I seem to be a believer and disbeliever simultaneously!

Sudden Manifestation

On the Day of Three Kings, el Día de los Trés Reyes,

When my Puerto Rican friends feast on

Pasteles, platanos, and arroz con dulce,

I remember my Mother insisting that we keep

The tree up and the manger displayed until

Epiphany, January 6^th.

I have suddenly let go of my insistence on absolutes,

Let the stories be stories, the myths be myths

Rather than the truth the whole truth and nothing but—

I let the priest go through his rigamarole

(and rather enjoy much of it, the dress ups, the incense,

The candles, the music, the make believe)—

But the straw has broken the camel’s back

(who was, by the way, trying to get through

The eye of a needle),

And I can no longer believe that Jehovah commands Abraham

To slit his firstborn’s throat, and that the true God

Would have our enemies’ babies bashed against the rocks,

Or that the priesthood is just for men, excluding half the world.

The boys’ club is closed for me.

I still believe, but in a different way.

You might say I’ve had an

Epiphany.

                                                            Robert M. Coughlin

                                                                                January 6^th, 2013

Petitions/Prayer of the Faithful for January 3, 2016

Ellen McHugh wrote these beautiful petitions for St. Mary's Church in Painesville, Ohio.

Prayer of the Faithful for January 3, 2016

The Epiphany of the Lord

Celebrant:  As we celebrate our coming together for the Eucharist, let us, dear sisters and brothers, approach the one God to voice all our needs.

·      Just as the Magi stand for all nations, we pray that the Church may be a beacon of light, hope, justice, and peace for every nation and people on Earth.  We pray to the Lord. 

·      In this new liturgical year, may we ourselves be living epiphanies, giving joyfully to God and neighbor of our time, talent, and treasure.  We pray to the Lord.

·      For those who work to protect life – human life and all life on the Earth on which human life depends – that they be supported and empowered in their work.  We pray to the Lord.

·      As we receive you in the Blessed Sacrament today, bind us together, Lord, that we may experience a real sense of belonging to you and to each other.  We pray to the Lord.

·      May this New Year bring peace and consolation through Mary to all who grieve the loss of loved ones.  We pray to the Lord.

·      And for those for whom this Mass is offered [name them]. We pray to the Lord.

·      Let us pause now and silently offer to the Father our own particular intentions [allow for silence. . .].  We pray to the Lord.

Celebrant:  Father, we believe that you will hear and respond to our sincere prayers, asked in the name of your Son, and in the power of your Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen. 

A Little Heresy for the End of the Year?

Here's a little poem I just wrote, in response to a recent reading at mass. Is it heresy? Or the truth?

We All Are the Sons and Daughters of God

“Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. And so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3: 1-2)

Don’t worry—God can handle a big family.

We are all children of God,

Like Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed,

Like the happy baby in Mentor,

The hungry baby in Painesville,

The sick child in Cincinnati—

All are included, the privileged, the hungry,

The homeless, the joyful,

The sorrowing—all

All are the Sons

All are the Daughters

Of God.

Robert M. Coughlin / December 25, 2015

A Poem for the Darkest Day of the Year--"Christbrand," by Frank O'Malley

Christbrand

By Frank O’Malley

Let the Christbrand burst,
Let the Christbrand blazon.

Dartle whitely under the hearth-fire,
Unwind the wind, turn the thunderer,
And never, never thinning,
Forfend fear.
Flare up smartly, fix, flex, bless, inspire,
Instar the time, sear the sorcerer,
And never, never sparing,
Save all year.

Let the Christbrand burst,
Let the Christbrand blazon.

Frank O’Malley was a beloved English Professor at the University of Notre Dame. As I remember, he lived in Lyons dormitory, looking out toward St. Mary Lake, one of the most beautiful places on a beautiful campus. Frank O'Malley was both a great professor, and a notorious drinker. He was a seriously flawed man, and a seriously good Catholic Christian. When I was a Freshman at Notre Dame in 1966, Frank O'Malley gave his students the above poem.

The poem uses unusual language and it might be worth it to look up some of the words:

--brand: the word in Old and Middle English means "burning," "fire."

--blazon: this word can mean proclaim or display publicly.

--dartle: means to dart or shoot forth repeatedly.

--forfend: avert, prevent, or keep away something evil.

--instar: a stage in the life of an insect between two successive molts. Also, a play on the word "star," which is a burning mass that emits light.

--sear: to burn (the surface of something)

The principal imagery of this poem involves fire. This is a creative fire, a light shining in the darkness, a light in the darkest, coldest time of the year.

Some links on Frank O'Malley: 

Center for Ethics and Culture--On Frank O'Malley

Notre Dame Magazine article on O'Malley

Newsweek article on O'Malley

Petitions/Prayer of the Faithful for December 20, 2015

Ellen McHugh composed these petitions for Sunday, December 20, 2015--for St. Mary's Church in Painesville, Ohio.

Celebrant: As we celebrate our coming together for the Eucharist, let us, dear sisters and brothers, approach the one God to voice all our needs.

That we may be inspired by our Holy Father, whose message for Christmas is one of hope:“a pilgrimage of all of the People of God; and by its light, a journey where all God’s people walk towards the Kingdom of justice, towards the Kingdom of peace.” We pray to the Lord.

That we may be inspired by today’s Gospel, hearing the joy in Elizabeth’s words to Mary; help us always to trust in the Lord with their humility and faith. We pray to the Lord.

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, may our Lord grant us all the gift of reconciliation; may we all receive it and celebrate it well in the holy days ahead. We pray to the Lord.

May the coming of Our Lord bring healing and hope, strength and courage; May all who suffer from loneliness in this holy season be filled with the consolation of God’s abundant grace and blessings. We pray to the Lord.

For all those we have loved and cherished; for those who have died recently and for those who have no one to remember them. Give them peace in the radiant light of Your presence. We pray to the Lord.

And for those for whom this Mass is offered [name them]. We pray to the Lord.

Let us pause now and silently offer to the Father our own particular intentions [allow for silence. . .]. We pray to the Lord.

Celebrant: Father, we believe that you will hear and respond to our sincere prayers, asked in the name of your Son, and in the power of your Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Petitions/Prayer of the Faithful for Christmas 2015

Ellen McHugh composed these beautiful petitions for Christmas masses at St. Mary's Church, in Painesville, Ohio.

Prayer of the Faithful for December 25, 2015

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Lord Jesus, your birth ushers in the promise of peace and redemption; let the leaders of the nations hear this message that their work may reflect your will in promoting justice and peace on Earth. We pray to the Lord.

This Christmas and every day, we pray for an end to all forms of violence in our country; we pray for peace, comfort and healing to those directly affected by violence. We pray to the Lord.

For all refugees and all who are far from home, that they may find safe haven, hospitality, comfort and joy this Christmas, and every day. We pray to the Lord.

For the grace to grow deeper in our respect and care of our Earth; help us to recognize the sacredness of all your Creation as a sign of your wondrous love. We pray to the Lord.

For the most vulnerable among us, for the sick and the dying, for the hungry and the homeless. May the message of Christmas, that God is with us, inspire us to witness His unfailing love in those we serve. We pray to the Lord.

Lord Jesus, you came to us as a vulnerable infant; let our prayer today be or our children, for all children, born and unborn, that they may be loved as Mary and Joseph so loved you. We pray to the Lord.

And for those for whom this Mass is offered [name them]. We pray to the Lord.

Let us pause now and silently offer to the Father our own particular intentions [allow for silence. . .]. We pray to the Lord.

Celebrant: Father, we believe that you will hear and respond to our sincere prayers, asked in the name of your Son, and in the power of your Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

A Poem for the Heart of Darkness. For All Who Suffer Anxiety.

"A Light shines in the darkness . . . and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5)

Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, 
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, 
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:4-7).

Winter Solstice

The chill creeps into the bones:
December 21 and sun gone long before 5 o’clock;
huge gray clouds roll in off Lake Erie
riding the Witch’s gale, spitting sleet and

fears as real and as organized as the swirl
of pin oak leaves down Lakeshore Boulevard.
This day, shaken by nameless fears,
seems to last forever:

I wonder how I will get through the next minute,
and the minute after that,
and the minute after that,

wonder if I can make it
until hope returns

until peace-which-surpasses-understanding,
as mysterious as winter solstice’s fear--
my heart standing still, turning cold,
my spirit abandoned--

until peace returns like grace like unexpected

gift.

                        Robert M. Coughlin

Christmas Alleluia at My Parish, St. Mary's in Painesville, Ohio

Christmas Alleluia at St. Mary’s Painesville

On Tuesday, December 15^th, at 8 PM, I drove to St. Mary’s to pick up my wife, who was finishing up teaching her PSR catechism class. St. Mary’s has a very fine PSR program, directed by Dr. Shanon Sterringer, and made possible by many dedicated teachers. At the end of class, several of the 8-10 year old Latino students in my wife’s class asked to be excused to go next door to the Fr. Hanzo Center, where the Posados celebration was beginning. This is an ancient religious novena, 9 evenings, celebrated in parts of Mexico, Central and South America, and in a few communities in the United States—including Painesville, Ohio. To my astonishment, there was a procession of about 100 people, led by children dressed as Mary and Joseph, some people carrying candles, and almost everyone singing. The song was a dialogue between Mary and Joseph, desperately seeking shelter, and innkeepers, who responded that there was no more room. What a wonderful celebration of our faith—right here at St. Mary’s in Painesville, Ohio.

At the very moment this was taking place, members of several churches and St. Mary’s, including our music ministry, were holding a Christmas sing-along/liturgy in the Lake County Jail. They were meeting three large groups of imprisoned men and women—singing and praying with them, being with them, bringing comfort and companionship and the beauty of our Christianity to those who have temporarily lost their freedom.

These were three of the activities going on, almost simultaneously, in our parish, a community that is answering the call of Pope Francis for mercy, reconciliation, and celebration. Our parish is singing out, loud and clear, a Christmas Alleluia!