Monday, May 24, 2010

Outside the world


This is the life we live
outside the world.

We still have to live in this world,
but that world to come
is for us so fully present
that we feel its breezes blowing on us,
even while we walk in this world.

That world to come
is for us so fully tangible
that we sometimes scrape ourselves
on the door jambs of that narrow gate
as we pass through it,
going in and out.

That world to come
is for us so fully real
that we feel truly at peace and at home
only when we are together,
following the Lord,
in this world strangers in a strange land.

Heaven is no more a pious dream for us
than God Himself is,
who is our Father, Friend and Guide,
who welcomes us into His presence beyond all worlds,
and sets our feet down in heavenly places.

This is the life
we live outside the world,
which is so rich that we are willing
to leave all behind even before death’s door,
to inherit the world to come,
prepared for us before the foundation of the world.

Glory to You, Christ our God,
for You have made mere fisherman wise
by sending upon them the rain of fire of Your Spirit,
as You said,
‘I have come to bring fire to earth!
O, that it were ablaze!’


We follow You, Jesus, in this world,
and You refresh us in the world to come, even now.

Barukh ha-ba ba-shem Adonay.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Barukh ha-olam ha-ba.
Blessed is the world to come.

Brethren,
this is the life we live
outside the world.
x

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