Mess-Bless (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, February 20, feast day of Our Lady of Bolougne, of (above) Blessed Julia Rodzinska, Saint Mildred of  Thanet, and Saint Amata of Assisi. Image from here.)

Mess-Bless

mess (n.)

…from Late Latin missus "course at dinner," literally 

"a placing, a putting (on a table, etc.)...--etymonline

The opposite of holy being 

sinful, how is it learned opposite as 

messy? With mess being originally a 

placing, putting, on the table–-

food now holy’s opposite too

(nestled by rabble of art supplies). As 

Rose Fairy brandishes stop sign, traffic

slows, and Heaven knows my 

life is still

a mess. 

*From prompt: After listening to Rainier Maria Rilke's Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to Go, and quote from  Ilia Delio, in Franciscan Prayer (“Spiritual desire is the experience of God’s presence in us or it may be the absence of God as well, since a feeling of absence may stimulate a yearning for God. It is the experience of delightful love and fearful emptiness”), freewrite about a seeming opposite/polarity in yourself. From Jamie Deerings's Spiritual Writing as a Pathway to Presence (Priory of Saint Placid, WA), February 19, 2022.

Where Love Goes (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, February 20, feast day of (above) Our Lady of Bolougne, of Blessed Julia Rodzinska, Saint Mildred of  Thanet, and Saint Amata of Assisi. Image from here.)

Where Love Goes

...And the Ruach Elohim was hovering

upon the face of the waters.

–Genesis 1:2 Orthodox Jewish Bible

A Nurser’s eye, spots the 

fire under ice, spots the 

teeming in the melt, hovers–-

as delicate vessel forms;

hovers still.

*Prompted by reflection after Deborah Luthi and Elizabeth Fulmer's Seasonal Retreat With Soul Collage, Davis, CA, February 19, 2022.

Grail Song (WC).

  

(Wendy Cabell, February 13, 2022, feast day of Our Lady of Pellevoisin, Saint Ermengild of Ely, Saints Maura and Fusca of Ravenna. Image is of Madonna Del Pilerio (feast day yesterday, along with Iveron Icon) from here.)

Grail-song

We thank you and bless you

but above all we love you.

You are our tender Mother…

–from prayer to Our Lady of Pilerio

Out walking, mayhap's a 

hand–-in clasp, in truce, in

knowing can’t rush knowing, 

being rather an unraveling 

in sweet time, in 

sympathy with

honey, milk’s 

                flow.

*From prompt: Notice your natural process of discerment and creativity (seems mine involves watching and slow gestation), from Sister Monika's Silent Retreat With Art, Saint Placid's Priory, Lacey, WA, February 11-13, 2022.

Key-song (WC)

  

(Wendy Cabell, February 10, feast day of Our Lady of the Doves, of (above) Saint Scholastica, Saint Austrebertha of Pavilly, and Blessed Clare Agolanti of Romini. Image from here.)

Key-song

(adapted quote from The Prologue, Homily of January 26

Saint Nikolai Velimirovic; used here as a chant)

Behold, I besought thee, and thou wouldest not hear; 

I besought my God, and He hath heard me.

–from the life of Saint Scholastica, here

From the glance

      of the Holy One,

        chains

                   fall,

Yes even from 

        the thoughts

           of the Holy One,

              chains  

                

fall…

*From prompt: Create one’s own chant as inspired by a quote or verse that are drawn to. An exercise from Paulette Meier’s Chanting Together as a Spiritual Practice (through The Hive) , a course given the Tuesdays of January 18-Febuary 8. 2022.

Mediatrix (WC)

  

(Wendy Cabell, Febuary 8, 2022, feast day of (above) Our Lady of the Lilies, Saint Josephine Bakhita, Saint Elfleda, Saint Kewe, Prophet Zachariah, Saint Sava ll. The Jewish calendar today commemorates Prophet and Lawgiver Moses, whose birthday and passing date are 7 Adar. Image from here.)

Mediatrix

Mediatrix: A title of the Blessed Virgin

as mediator of grace.--Catholic Culture

In Mother’s arms, softened gaze

(doesn't it always come down to Mary)

they say everything She touches

changes, and She changes everything 

She touches, till diverge, emerge 

simpler than before, not yet 

knowing what’s to be done–-but

begun.

*The above “everything She…touches” is an adapted quote from Laren Liebling and Starhawk’s Kore Chant, here. There are traditions in both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox supporting pagan faith/philosophy as anticipating Christianity. An example in Icon form is here (note the The Sybil of Erythraea top upper left). It is not hard to imagine the anticipation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in chants such as the one quoted/adapted  above.  

**From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by something in the etymology of mistake (I chose divergent). From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, February 8, 2022.

Behind Doors (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, February 1, 2022, Feast day of the (above) Weeping Icon of the Mother of God of Socola, Forefeast of the Meeting of Our Lord, Eve of Imbolc, Eve of World Day for Consecrated Life, Chinese New Year, Rosh Chodesh (new moon) of Adar, Saint Brigid’s Day, and feast day of  Saint Brigid of Fiesole, Saint Veridiana, Saint Perpetua,, and Blessed Anna Michelotti. Image from here.)

Behind Doors

I’d make Heaven a cheerful spot

because the happy heart is true.

–Saint Brigid of Kildare, here

Behind the door, a cat.

Beside the cat, a bowl, 

ever full yet ever giving–-

of sustenance, delight. The

cat mayhap the I. The bowl

mayhap the Heart.

*From prompt: Write as inspired by the life and miracles of Saint Brigid. From Kayleen Asbo’s Feasts of Light and Water, February 1, 2022. 

Beyond the Bright (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, February 1, 2022, Forefeast of the Meeting of Our Lord, Eve of Imbolc, Eve of World Day for Consecrated Life, Chinese New Year, Rosh Chodesh (new moon) of Adar, Saint Brigid’s Day, and feast day of  Saint Brigid of Fiesole, Saint Veridiana, Saint Perpetua,, and Blessed Anna Michelotti. Image from here.)

Beyond the Bright

(you know it hurts my eyes), a softer light ushers mind’s daily pilgrimage–-trusty guide. Painting glow upon words unspoken (you know the ears catch

them anyway) over what the hands love to 

brush against, light touch. Over (or is it

longing for) such empty, empty space,

weaving vessel for 

the filling, on

the morrow.

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Mary Jo Bang's February Elegy. From Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, February 1, 2022.

Saint Brigid’s Day Symphony (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, February 1, 2022, Forefeast of the Meeting of Our Lord, Eve of Imbolc, Eve of World Day for Consecrated Life, Chinese New Year, Rosh Chodesh (new moon) of Adar, Saint Brigid’s Day, and feast day of  Saint Brigid of Fiesole, Saint Veridiana, Saint Perpetua,, and Blessed Anna Michelotti. Image from here.)

Saint Brigid’s Day Symphony

capriccio (n.): 1690s as a term in music 

for a kind of free composition…

"sudden start or motion”--etymonline

Ear leaning in for the capriccio, unruffled 

by dew or snowflake (what with water the

prism’s tune), as Snowdrop Fairy shakes 

her blanket–-fa la la

la la la–-tuck 

         of Light back into

pocket, Spring 

    expecting.

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by the etymology of "caprice" and related words.  From Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, February 1, 2022.