by Alexandra R. Lukens

Transparency became our pattern

We prayed on Wednesday that our hearts would be contrite – 

that is, broken

You hated nothing you had made, perfect remission and forgiveness\

“Sound the alarm on the holy mountain!

      Let all the people of the land tremble,

            A day of darkness and gloom”

A great and powerful army came

“Rend your heart, not your clothing!

      Gather the people

            gather the aged

                  gather the children

            even the infants at the breast

      And let them weep”

As far as the east was from the west

As far as a father cared for his son

“You will die, but we are not dead today

      Remember you are dust

            and to dust you shall return”

With weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left

In honor and dishonor, we were imposters

known and unknown, dying and see –

we are alive

Days and nights in the wild tempted sorry and unceasing pain

Grant we may not fail nor fall!

“Do not sound the trumpets before you, as the hypocrites do in the streets

      do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing in secret

            and who sees you in secret will reward you

      Oil your head and wash your face in secret

    Store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth & rust consume

      and where thieves break in and steal

            For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

A time of notorious sins from the body of the faithful

marked our mortal nature, made us kneel before our silence

I begged of you,

Have mercy on me

      Wash me against you

            Indeed I have been wicked from my birth for you deep within me

                    purge me pure, make me hide

            create in me a cast-away

      give me to the wicked, deliver me my tongue

open my lips and my mouth

Had you desired it, but you took no delight

in the sacrifice of a troubled spirit, a broken heart you despised

Again, I begged of you,

But rebuild the walls and you will be pleased!

      Confess to the whole earth what we have left undone

            We have not loved with our whole heart

                  deaf, true, self-indulgent intemperate failures,

            accept the wrongs we have done, the uncharitable thoughts and contempt

      accept our waste

accept us, me, and let your anger be great!

Who desired the death of the sinners?

Surely, it was not us, our sinful lives in a perfect heart before you

It was right and everywhere tempted in every way

evil again, again fallen into death to share our human nature

You stretched out your arms and offered the night

but thanks to you, you broke the mystery

and people died again

Remember my youth? The youth of your son?

These mysteries that we are living

      are of a quieter time and mind