The Following.

Published on Tuesday 4th February 2020 by Sean Walsh

They stared at him a long moment,

then one of them said, Where do you live?

He tilted his head, gesturing – Come and see…

So they left their nets and followed him…

Jesus. The Galilean. The Nazarene.

The one who ate and drank and broke bread with sinners…

relished every greasy moment of the communal dish.

Looking back now at years of community life

the emphasis on the recitation of the Divine Office

was a mistake – or at least out of proportion…

In Latin at a goodly pace –

a universal language, universally dead –

no time to pause, reflect, really pray.

For some, some of the time,

we knew not what we were saying…

For others – like me – much of the time…

The emphasis on obligation – “get it said…”

As such it was tantamount to lip service.

What should have been primary

was relegated to secondary.

The company of Jesus – his friendship, fellowship –

cultivated daily by deep, personal prayer

in the privacy of one’s own space –

that is what is – and always will be –

of the utmost importance.

Words?.. A few… maybe… some times…

An awareness of Presence… betimes.

When you look up from what you are doing

to find someone – Someone – there – present:

Abide with Me…

Then – and only then – cross to the door, open,

step out and into the Vineyard…

Sean Walsh