For Ruby on the Day of Her First Communion
Yesterday, I met a woman
Who told me
That the world had turned her bitter.
Yesterday, I met a man
Who told me
That the world had turned him hard.
And I understand
The world can be hard
Hurt can turn bitter in our mouths.
You know already, Ruby,
That people can be mean.
You know already, Ruby,
That people can be kind.
You know already, Ruby,
That life gives you choices.
You know already, Ruby,
That choices can be hard.
Yesterday, I met a person
Who told me
That the world was a cruel place.
A place where difference
Is a crime
And hurt the penance to be paid.
A place where kindness
When offered
Is an oasis in the desert of castaway eyes
Today, Ruby, you take
communion
and you make a promise of
Communion
Communion with God
Communion with the people of God
Communion
Communion with your faith
Communion with your fellows
Communion
You taste with your tongue
Your promise
Your promise to be
With God
With People
Your promise to be
The hands of God
The voice of compassion
You promise to
Walk into the desert
With kindness to offer
You promise to
Meet the bitter
With sweet
The hard
with gentle touch
and warm welcome
It is not easy for us, Ruby,
To remember God
In our hearts
It is not easy for anyone, Ruby,
To turn the other cheek
Rather than be the one that strikes it
But I pray, Ruby,
That as you grow
You hold on tight
To the little girl
Who used three year old hands
To help me put the footrests on my wheelchair
To the little girl
Who dropped her change
In the homeless woman's cup
To the little girl
Who super soaked
The crowd at the pride parade
Hold on tight
To the little girl
Who loves to help
Hold on tight
To the little girl
Who is unafraid of diversity
Hold on tight
Don't let go
Of what you know now
You know that
The world is made
Of difference
That the world is made
Of the diversity
Of colour and of texture
That the world is made
By God
Who loves what was made
And you know
that today as you eat
at the table of God
That you promise
To be in Gods world
To do what God puts into your heart
That you promise
To be the oasis
Not the desert
That's a big promise
But you have a big heart
Where God has always lived.
Love and prayers to Ruby on this very special day.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this lovely prayer for Ruby...the little girl inside of me wants to believe it is a prayer for her, too....her experience of First Communion was very different.....blessings to all of you on this special day for Ruby.
ReplyDeleteSO beautiful Dave, and so fitting with a blog post I will be sharing later today. May I quote some of your piece for Ruby?
ReplyDeleteAnd blessings on your journey Ruby. With a big hug!!!
ReplyDeleteWith you and Joe as examples, she has a great start.
ReplyDeleteThank you for not letting the hard life you have been given make you hard and bitter.
Instead, like Jesus, you bear it and teach from it.
Alicia
Your prayer really teared me up Dave. Ruby is a very lucky girl to have such a wonderful strong influence in her life.
ReplyDelete"To be the oasis,
ReplyDeleteNot the desert."
Lovely.
Your words for Ruby are beautiful, and meaningful, not just for her, but for everyone. Thank you for sharing them. samm
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Ruby on her First Communion! It is a solemn and important day to be sure, but so exciting as well.
ReplyDeleteYour "Prayer for Ruby" is an amazing tribute to a beautiful, kind, and loving girl. She is all that is good in the world.
Sue
That is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read.
ReplyDelete