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I love my guardian angel. She spoils me with signs and surprises. By the way, I know my angel assumes the persona of a “she” but that’s a story for another time.
When I walk into church I scan the ground looking for feathers. Unlike sometimes when I’m wrestling with whatever doubt or little cross vexing me on this particular day I didn’t feel like I needed any sign or assurance. She’d been working overtime to help me, and I feel her in my heart. I wasn’t needy but I was hoping, perhaps even expecting, to see something. I made my way to the fifth row where I sit for daily mass. As I genuflected I saw this little almond shaped rock on the ground right by the entrance of the pew.
It was so purposely on my path. I picked up the stone and held it in my hand. I scratched it thinking its shape was so perfect that it must have been a dirty almond, petrified but it was a stone.
My heart was flooded with love when I realized it was a tear drop. It was Christ’s tear, your tear, my tear; its shape was perfect and lovely. It was a gift from my angel. She was blessing me, and ready to sit down with me as I tried to pray and talk to Jesus to tell Him all the things on mind. He was ready to receive all of my sacrifices of prayer… our gentle, tender Shepherd… waiting for us… expectant and attuned to every breath we take.
I took the rock home and placed it on my Divine Mercy prayer card that sits on my desk where it fit perfectly over the heart of Jesus. Some time later it inspired me to write the following poem:
TEARS
by Terrence Leon Gargiulo
You are Present in a simple tear drop
More potent than a sea of mourning
Disguised as an almond rock
Hiding in meager matter
Hiding from sound sight
Hiding for heavenly hope
Prayerful aspirations rise in me
Pleas and supplications for a sign seeking a sign
A teary eye brush of mana dew
A languishing opportunist silently moistening parched expectancy
But there you are…
Greeting an eager humble genuflection
An orphaned tear laid to rest
Waiting
Forgotten
Eureka!
Present and past confer a dazzling future
Tiny teetering tears march in reverent procession
but the poignant daily siege of aberrant injustices blasphemes your Spirit
Lord, can we tax you any more?
Our impotent accumulation of tortured twisted tales
mockingly leap over the Holy Chasm of your Untapped Love
We peer into the veil of your tears…
We recount simple human moments
Sweet tender baby cries
Your Mother cradling squirming Divinity
Nursing your humanity grooming our King
Your bruised knees, scratches
hurts and cloudy human confusion
Your weeps joined forever with your Mother in quiet humble tears
wet lamenting covers of Hope rejoicing in Joseph`s death
Is there anything that can contain your tears for Jerusalem
Future Glory broken
Askance in bundles of cold forgotteness
The records stand: You Wept
Lazarus’death sunk your heart
A friendly covenant heralding the saving Grace of Communion
severing the unbearable anguish of broken connections
where strengthening weakness beguiles servitude
Your fatigued leathered feet wiped in sweet tears
A sacramental rite before its time
tender, meek adoration to celebrate our blessed beggar heritage
How can we forget the tears of betrayal
Contorted tears of agonizing physical pain
consecrate an eternal cauldron possessed by a Hydra of Mercy
Whispers to your Father
Forgive them they know not what they do
Oh, Lord you teach us to wipe your tears
Will we ever learn?
Have you cried every tear with us?
Unite our tears with yours
Grant us a sip of your sorrow
Crown us with anguish
Our Trust in you depends on this…
How can we shed death?
How can we know your Joy?
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21: 1-4
PRAYER
Hearts of stone submit to the Fire of Holy Love
Light of Christ penetrate every icy chamber
Infuse Grace into our wandering free ways
Save us from the dirty consequences of our faltering choices
Set us upon your Holy Mountain
El Shaddai
Transfigure our broken steps into Glorious songs of Praise
May our Yes mean Yes
Do not delay – make haste cleanse us in your pools of Living Water
Does the picture of this stone elicit any stories for you? Do you have a stone with a story? Please consider sharing with us!