[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Once There Was a Child

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:





-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Fisher <f.fisher.obl.osb at comcast.net>
To: midrash <midrash at joinhands.com>; 'Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary' <PRCL-L at LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU>; PROPERTALK.topic <PROPERTALK.topic at ecunet.org>; 'St. Benedict's Abbey' <sba at sbabbey.com>; SERMONSHOP_SERMONS.topic <SERMONSHOP_SERMONS.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Thu, Dec 23, 2010 12:48 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Once There Was a Child


Here's another old one from John's prologue. 

_
Frank R. Fisher, Obl OSB
ww.ffisher.net
nterim Pastor
irst Presbyterian Church of Kewanee, IL
ww.fpckewanee.org
lmira United Presbyterian Church
ww.elmiraunited.org
aka
Brother Oscar Romero
blate of St. Benedict's Abbey
artonville, IL
ww.SBAbbey.com

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so
hat when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."-Cherokee proverb
______________________________
Once
there was a Child.
 Child
ho was a special Child indeed.
 special Child
ho loved to do 
any special things.
ut out of all 
he special things
his special Child 
oved to do,
here was nothing 
ore special
than the time 
he Child spent
working 
n the workshop.
hat's not too surprising,
ecause this
was no ordinary 
orkshop.
nly wondrous things 
ere ever made in it.
Every day
the Child's Parent,
he Master Worker,
ould walk 
o the work bench
nd wave to the Child 
o come help.
rembling with anticipation,
he Child 
ould place those little hands 
n the tools
nd let the Worker's 
ig hands 
uide the tools
across the wood 
n the bench.
havings 
nd saw dust 
ould fill the air
s shapes 
egan to form
nder
their joined fingers.
Then 
s the shapes 
ecame more defined
he Child would gasp 
ith wonder.
or the tools 
roduced things 
ike planets and stars
hat the Worker flung
oyfully 
nto the heavens.
nd things like 
lowing oceans, 
nd towering mountains
hat the Worker
placed precisely 
n the planets.
But the most marvelous 
art of all
ame 
hen the Worker 
uided the Child's hands
o make the shapes 
f creatures.
he Child 
hought the creatures 
ere beautiful.
nd they became 
ven more beautiful
hen the worker 
lew gently 
nto their mouths,
iving to them
the precious gift of life.
The Child 
oved those creatures 
ost of all;
specially the creatures 
he Worker named
human beings.
or the Child 
nd the Worker 
ade human beings
n the Worker's image.
nd to them
he Worker 
ave a special breath;
 life giving breath  
hich meant
they would one day 
ome back 
o the workshop,
nd live there 
orever.
The Worker's face 
lways crinkled 
ith a smile
t the depth 
f the Child's love 
or humans.
ut one day
here came a moment 
hen the smile 
aded.
he Worker
knew it was time
or one of those 
erious talks 
ith the Child.
"My Child,"
he Worker said,
I have a task  
ou must do alone;
 task you must do 
o carry on 
ur creation
f human beings. 
 want you  
o go away 
rom the workshop
for awhile.
 want you to go,
nd live among these people 
hom you love 
o much.
o to them.
how,
and tell them
ow very, very, very much
e love them."
The Child smiled
and immediately nodded yes.
ut the Worker cautioned,
This will be painful
and fear filled  
ork 
y Child."
hen turning to the bench
he Worker said,
I have one gift
for you 
efore you go;
 gift to show you
ust how fearful 
his task will be."
Again the wood chips
nd saw dust 
illed the air.
his time 
when the dust cleared,
he worker turned
and handed the Child 
 cup.
Look into the cup,"
he Worker said,
and you will see 
ll the things
ou must drink
o show humans 
he depths 
f our love."
Peering into the cup,
he Child 
urst out laughing 
ith delight.
or in it
was a bubbling, 
eaping,
nd dancing drink
hat looked like
he finest wine.
he Child could tell
t was made up 
f joy,
nd faith,
nd it was saturated
with the Worker's love.
"Why should I fear 
his drink,"
he Child 
aid to the Worker?"
he Worker
ooked gently 
t the Child and replied,
Look again
my Child."
Somewhat puzzled
he Child looked again 
nto the cup
nd saw 
nother mixture.
gain  
t seemed 
 marvelous drink
his time
t looked as smooth
as the purest cream.
n it
he Child saw 
ealing,
eace
nd salvation,
ixed liberally 
ith an endless measure
f the Worker's grace.
he Child looked up 
t the Worker again
nd said more strongly,
Why should I fear 
his drink 
ither?"
With eyes
filled with tears
he Worker said,
Look into the cup
ne more time."
The Child looked 
nto the depths 
f the cup
nd gasped.
t almost slipped 
rom that little hand
s the Child screamed,
No!
lease 
ake this away.
 can't drink this."
or this time
he mixture
in the cup
eethed and stank.
As the Child 
atched 
n horror
he liquid 
n the cup 
ppeared 
o come alive.
t seemed  
o reach outward 
oward the Child
with evil fingers.
nd as the fingers 
eached out
he Child 
aw the cup 
as filled with a horror 
hat could 
ever 
e imagined.
or the liquid in it
as made up 
f every possible 
vil,
very possible sin,
nd every possible pain.
nd it was mixed together
with countless streams 
f eternal death.
Turning toward the Worker
he Child gasped out,
Why?
ow could you 
sk me 
o do this?
hy 
ust I drink 
his cup?"

ith a look of sadness
the Worker looked steadily 
nto the Child's eyes
nd replied,
You may choose
o not 
rink this cup.
ut if that's 
our choice 
he human beings 
ou love,
ill drink it.
hey will 
rown 
n its pain,
nd they will 
uffocate 
n its sin and evil.
If you do not drink it
hey 
ill die.
nd it will be 
 forever 
eath.
hey will 
ever 
ome back 
ere.
hey will never
share this workshop 
ith us 
gain."
The Child sighed
nd turned 
oward the Worker.
nd with eyes 
hining with love 
aid,
I can't do that.
 care too much 
or them.
 could never 
et my people 
rink this cup."
nd reaching out 
oward 
he Master Worker
he Child cried out,
Hold my hand,
please.
 will drink it 
or them."
Then the Child 
ifted the evil cup 
oward 
hose Childish lips
nd
instantly
was in 
nother place.
nstead of being 
n the workshop,
he Child 
as in a cradle 
hich was surrounded 
y animals.
And looking down 
t the Child's face
ere two
of those people  
he Child,
nd the Worker,
loved so much.
here was  a woman
named Mary,
nd a man 
named Joseph.
And in Child's ears 
ounded 
 wondrous song.
or in the sky 
bove,
ngels 
anced and twirled 
s they sang
ongs of joy
at the incredible news
f the Child's 
pecial love.
he love that 
n this day,
o very long ago,
illingly choose to enter
  tomb;
he love
hat forever snatched 
rom our lips
he cup of sin, 
nd eternal death;
he love 
hat appeared
hen the Word 
ecame flesh
nd dwelt among us
n the quiet place
amed Bethlehem.
May all glory,
nd eternal thanks
e given to God.
men.



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