Poetry by Sister Diana Seago, OSB

Memoirs of Mother Earth

The scarred Earth heaved a sigh
and with a rush of memories,
again,
as it had many times before,
reminded all of its
inhabitants of their past
so they might
grant their young

a future.

And so it began:
the story of the Hallowed
Earth, the holy of holies,
where God and Life
would face each other,
embrace, and abide in an
eternal, holy now.

"My memory begins in cold void.
Chaos, emptiness, absence...
surrounded me like sackcloth
draped 'round the sinner
who begs for redemption.
Suddenly, the void erupted into Time...
the Breath of Mercy rushed into me
and I burst forth from nothingness
into a universe of twinkling night
and blinding day.

The brittle cold was replaced by
a warmth that was
filled with bountiful energy,
and I knew that my journey
was just beginning.

Andromeda and Perseus would be my
companions, Ursa Minor my guide,
and Luna would be my playmate.
Sol would teach
me many things about the importance
of Sunshine and her sisters
Shadow and Sillouette.
I learned very quickly
how beauty thrived
in differing shades of light and dark.
Saturated with that new light of day
I rested as the Breath of Mercy
cradled me until the night passed...

And God smiled at me and
I know God was pleased...

Things moved so quickly
after that first day.
The Imagination of God
began again to move in
vigorous new ways I had never
before experienced.

My arteries began to rush with
fresh, pure water,
and trees and shrubs
lapped up the vigor
the rivers and streams offered.

Suddenly the Breath of Mercy
and God's Imagination became one
and their embrace caused
my womb to stir,
bringing forth creatures of every kind,
to play among my forests, rocks and ravines...
elephants and eagles
beatles and baboons
hippo's and humans.

At times I became so invigorated,
I laughed until my sides split
open. God laughed with me
and with great delight we
named those majestic fissures, mountains.
The rumblings of immense ocean beings
filled me with expectation...
Their playfulness sent chills through
me that caused tidal waves
hundreds of feet high
while the sea birds waited for the
feast that always resulted
from this big splash.
There was always enough of everything.
The day was just bright enough...
The night just dark enough...
The wings of the birds and butterflies
just light enough...
The neck of the giraffe just long enough.
No one was ever hungry
and no one ever ran out of space.

God saw all of this
and smiled at me and I knew
God was pleased.
I had become a beautiful garden
and both God and I were
proud and passionate
about all who lived within.
Infused with happiness
all lived content with the good
gifts of God, and were laid to rest
in my arms when life was spent.
It was all very good."

With great gladness all of Earth's
creatures smiled as
the time of "Remembering" was complete
and began to
move toward celebration when
Mother Earth once again
heaved a sigh.
The startled creatures quieted
because this time
there was more, and they were puzzled
as she continued to speak...

"Now my children, without warning,
Chaos has returned, searching for
the weak ones, those who are
the least vigilant among us,
and all the life within me
has begun to change.

For some of us, what has been
a feeling of awe and wonder
in God's presence and all of creation
has turned into a false feeling of pride.
To this day I don't know why--
but the humans seem to think
they can be God.
They teach their children
that they are better than the
badger and the dolphin.
They have leveled our
vast and beautiful forests
so their dwellings can be larger.
They don helmets of Greed and
breastplates of Competition.
They take up the sword
of Selfishness and brandish
this sign of destruction with pride.

Suddenly, where there
has always been enough,
there is hunger and disease,
destruction and plague.
Creatures I nurtured for centuries
have disappeared without a trace
never to return to us.
The song of the whale
and dolphin has became faint.
I feel unbalanced.
I am no longer able to provide
for all of you who depend
upon me for your life.
My laughter is turned to rains of acid
burning my lush green foliage
beyond recognition.
Choking clouds of chemicals
separate the hawk from the freshness
of the bright sky of dawn
and the sea lions lie sprawled
on my oil-stained beaches unable
to swim free and feed their young.
I feel totally helpless because
I am no longer able to Mother
those God has given to my care.
The garden is being destroyed
and I am being destroyed along with it.

Silence fell upon the creatures
and a feeling of desperation
blanketed the Earth.
The creatures had never before worried
about their lives. Mother Earth
had always cared for them
and they for each other.
They began to murmur helplessly
about their fears until the
great lion, who had always been strength for them,
stood, and in a steady voice
that challenged said,
"The Breath of Mercy
and the Imagination of God
live in each of us.
Call upon them now to
stir the human heart...
call day and night
and do not cease
until they
have heard our cry...
do not cease
until the human heart
remembers its birthing places
in the arms of Mother Earth...
do not cease until
the human heart remembers
we are all brothers and sisters...
do not cease until
the human heart stands
once again, with us,
against Chaos, Greed and Destruction...
do not cease...
do not cease...
do not cease."

And on that day
the creatures of Mother Earth
began their vigil,
and the human heart
can never be the same.

A Parable Revisited

Standing in stunned silence
they stared after the man who had
been their lifeline.
He had provided for their families.
He had shared grain and wine,
hearth and home.
In return they planted his fields
and shepherded his flocks.
They cooked his meals and,
when he left on short trips,
managed his household.
But for this announcement
they were unprepared!
How could he just leave?
What would they do with
their master's treasure?
Why would he have given it to them?
Why did he not entrust it
to someone with more experience...
more expertise?

As they debated what to do
with the treasure they had acquired
the youngest recalled
recently happening upon
a wandering Rabbi
who was speaking to a small group
of street people.

He had stopped to listen because
the Rabbi was saying startling things about
the poor in spirit and the meek
inheriting the kingdom of heaven...
and he was such a good storyteller.
He talked about a widow who had
given her last penny to a worthy cause
and had been blessed a hundred fold.
He ended his teaching
with a song that had haunted
the young servant for days...

"In goodness dwell,
and from all malice flee.
Don't place your wealth in
only what you see.
For where your treasure lies,
there your heart will be."

When the others heard this
they decided to search for the Rabbi.
They needed advice, and
he seemed to know about treasure.
They went to the Temple precincts
certain they would find the Rabbi
among the money changers, because
he had spoken about treasure
with such authority.

Teeming with life,
the temple stood against
the scratchy hot sky,
shielding the mystery
of the chosen ones...
those who knew Yahweh.
Ordinary people with
ordinary lives wandered around
this extraordinary expanse
with gaping eyes
and astounded hearts.

The Money Changers were there.
They wore their frantic attempts
to help ordinary folks
fulfill the law
like a magician's mantle
about their shoulders.
With fast hands and weighted scales
they profited from the labors
of the common people,
as they sold sacrificial doves
to those who would be
the lambs of their sacrifice.

The three servants stood in the midst
of the confusion
seeking the Rabbi and his wisdom.
The Money Changers were clamoring
for their attention
and the oldest of the three was
suggesting that they consult with
them about their treasure
when they heard the music.
It filled the hall of the temple
and was pleasing to their hearts.
It was familiar and yet somehow new.

"In truth ever dwell,
from all deceit be free.
Burnt offerings are
not what pleases me.
For where your treasure lies,
there your heart will be."

The song drew them back into
the crowded streets and
they continued their search for
the wisdom of the wandering Rabbi,
not having found their answer
in the lairs of the Money Changers.
The woman who had been given
the two thousand silver pieces
suggested that they look for the Rabbi
in the palaces of the rich.
The wealthy ones certainly must be friends
of the wandering Rabbi.
They must have taken his advice
concerning treasure,
since Yahweh had smiled upon their efforts
and blessed them with abundance.
They continued their journey
to the palace of the richest man in the town.

The sterile white marble
of the palatial walls echoed "success"
across the valley as
the silver encrusted doors
stood like soldiers at attention
on the crest of the hill.
The inviting roadway wound around
magnificent cedars that graciously
offered shade to the weary travelers.
The palace guards,
splendid in their shining breastplates,
escorted the apprehensive travelers
to the palace treasury where
the rich man was counting his days profits.
He had no knowledge of
the wandering Rabbi...had never
heard the song...and was careful
to advise them against paying attention
to one who was not himself wealthy.
He would gladly help them
invest their money in the proper places.
He was explaining what his share of the
interest would be when
the familiar melody floated up the valley.
It was a sign the Rabbi was near,
and the three strained to pinpoint the
direction of the sound...
"In charity dwell,
and from all greed be free.
For wealth will not
fulfill your every need.
And where your treasure lies,
there your heart will be."

Feeling a sense of discomfort
in the palace of luxury
and a sense of urgency
to continue their quest,
the three travelers
thanked the rich man,
wished him well in his investments,
and set out once again
to follow the song
of the wandering Rabbi.

It led them down the crowded city streets
past the marketplace
filled with screaming vendors
and children playing hide-and-seek
behind the vegetable bins.
They followed the music
past the side streets
of Selfishness and Anxiety.
Soothsayers beckoned
with crooked fingers
and cloudy crystal balls,
always promising what they
could not deliver.
But the rhythm raced with their hearts
and pushed them out of the clamor
and on toward the outskirts of the town.
There among the outcasts
stood the wandering Rabbi.

He stood among the poor and widowed,
the orphaned and the sick.
He stood with bag ladies and drunks,
with the homeless and retarded.
And he was singing...all by himself he was singing...
for those with no voice he was singing...
for those with no face he was singing...
for those with no children he was singing.
for those with no country he was singing,
for those in disgrace he was singing,
for those whose only hope was God, he was singing...
...and the valley reverberated with the song.

It was then that they realized
the treasure was not
as it seemed.
The treasure was their chance to
stand with the poor and the outcast,
the widow and the orphan,
the lonely and the sick,
the homeless and the hopeless,
shoulder to shoulder with the wandering Rabbi
and sing and be song.

"Blessed are you
and holy will you be
If first your hand
goes out to those in need.
And where your treasure lies,
there your heart will be."

Standing in stunned silence
they stared at the man whom
they had been seeking.
He had led them down
streets and alleyways
into the lives of people
they had never met
or ever even thought of.
He had challenged them
to see their treasure anew.
He had challenged them to
sow their treasure rather than save it...
for in the planting
came its increase
and like wheat dancing in the wind
the planted fields
become the song
and the song has never ceased...
... it is our song to sing
shoulder to shoulder
with the wandering Rabbi
and together we take up the refrain...

Sing with me and
together we will see,
the hands of God
are who we all must be.
And where our treasure lies
there our hearts will be.

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