Wild Honey

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Mark 1:1-13

Wilderness and Wild Honey

The most wondrous love grows
in the wilderness fed by wild honey
found food and hidden visitors
a place out of the mainstream
out of the limelight out of time.

One dove visit and the voice of God
thunders through the hearts of onlookers
there is mighty change before us
awaiting us is tremendous challenge
and God is in the midst of it.

We ache for awards and appreciation
God invites us to this wilderness
this lenten journey of castaways
we forage and stumble waiting
to hear the voice of God again.

Our loneliness overwhelms us
the pain of healing is tremendous
walking upright is the first challenge
finding strength in the darkest night
our constant toil our constant fear.

God is in the midst of us as we kneel
in silent vigil, as we wait with tears streaming
as we ache for a touch a tender word
the sweet honey of love's forgiveness
God is with us already and we fail to see.

Open our blind eyes remove the scales
from our wounded souls, our broken bodies
you will heal everything all of us
and we will dance in celebration again
God is with us, God is coming, God is here.