Roots of Stone

These roots are made of stone,
a foundation that does not move
in the winds of time or fashion,

deeper than the heart,
unmoved even by death, roots
nourished by blood and love, roots

that survive any poison or passion,
and even when the tree is cut to the ground,
cannot die, will not die,

whose sprouts rise again and again,
life beyond all expectation,
beyond even, death.

About this poem

I often think of this last day of lent as perhaps the darkest of all days. Christ is dead. Buried. The end seems bleak indeed. The disciples are crushed. There is no light. Only sadness. Emptiness. Fear.

But roots of the coming Resurrection had been set in place since the beginning of time, and like flowers that look dead and brown in winter, yet the roots are feeding life to the stems… God was at work, preparing, always preparing for the dawn of Easter that would change not just our world, but eternity.

This is the last of my Lenten Poems and Photographs. I appreciate you all who have traveled this journey of spiritual and creative discipline for the past 40 days. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. May you all have a blessed, joyful Easter.

Tom

About these Lenten Poems

My friend Cathy Benson is on to something. Instead of doing without for Lent, she is doing MORE with a prayer project that is thoughtful and caring.

Giving up something for Lent is a church tradition, not a biblical command. It was designed to get our minds and hearts right as we approach the holy week and Easter. It’s a good spiritual discipline.

But I think a spiritual discipline of doing something more is also a powerful way to prepare our hearts for Easter. The Methodists, through their “Rethink Church” initiative have come up with a photographic way to do this (see below). I am going to add a poem with each image for the lent season to help prepare myself. Feel free to glom on to the idea, visit the blog and read, or share your thoughts and prayers.