Looking Up

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1:6-14

Looking Up

So much loss overwhelmed us
our hearts had no room for
new love which we ache for
we could not welcome home.

We huddled in our rooms talking
through the night reminiscing about
all that we once had and about
all that had gone away with you.

A vigil of days and weeks wandering
the streets full of daily commerce empty
of the healing and hope empty
of your voice in the middle of the market.

We thought we were alone weeping
you came to meet us behind
locked doors where we hid behind
the deep ache of losing you.

We thought you had abandoned us
and all was lost and we had dreamed
this new life and faith dreamed
a new Jerusalem into being.

And yet you came to us
and taught us to dream again
you took us outside again
we looked up to brilliant skies.

We have received the mantle
the soft burden of love and hope
for new beginning after loss, hope
in God who is restoring us all.