An Active Heaven in an Earth in Turmoil

Once upon a time, there was no separation between the heavens and the earth…. The atmosphere was no shelter from the violence of storm weilding angels, with thunder in their robes, while earth’s trees gave shelter to terrifying visions of milk white cherubs. When nature is red in tooth and claw, then heaven is black and blue and rimmed with fire.

RUBENS, Peter Paul
(b. 1577, Siegen, d. 1640, Antwerpen)

The Martyrdom of St Livinus
1633
Oil on canvas, 455 x 347 cm
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels

BREATHE

The Way In
Linda Hogan

Sometimes the way to milk and honey is through the body.

Sometimes the way in is a song.

But there are three ways in the world: dangerous, wounding,

and beauty.

To enter stone, be water.

To rise through hard earth, be plant

desiring sunlight, believing in water.

To enter fire, be dry.

To enter life, be food.

Adrian Johnston. "Breath" Oil on Linen (detail).
This painting is an in-process work, perhaps about the way breath enters a body, using images of wind and fire, book and tree. (Detail) Oil on Linen, 48 x 60 in.

This poem can be found at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/55761/the-way-in and more of Linda Hogan’s poetry at https://www.lindahoganwriter.com/

Transfiguration

 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

The Gospel of Matthew (from Chapter 17, NIV)

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