The Lord I would serve would be a humble one

[PrinceMyshkin]

What lowly cabin on parched,
hardscrabble land,
would not better serve the Lord
than the mightiest,
most vainglorious Cathedral?

For the Lord I would serve
would be a humble one
more tentative than even
his most troubled worshipper.

I, the Lord your God,
He would proclaim, was in your heart
whenever you liberated yourself from slavery;

You may have as many gods before me
as you have need of them.

You shall make for yourself graven images
of anything that serves to focus your heart and mind.

You shall bow down to them or worship them
if you wish, for I the Lord your God
am not a jealous God, forgiving children
for how their parents have misled them
but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation
of those who love their fellow men and women
and behave unto them with justice, love and charity.

You shall not blaspheme against the names
of other gods, for they are made in the image
of those who serve them.

Remember the Sabbath of the spirit
for you were not made for work and acquisition alone
but to reflect upon the mysteries of life and love.

Honour your father and your mother,
for their lives may have been more difficult than yours
and they have done the best for you according to their light.

You shall not murder, neither the bodies nor the spirits
of others.

You shall not commit adultery, even within the bounds of matrimony
where, to treat your partner as something less than you,
is infidelity of the worst sort.

You shall not steal, but shall reward everyone
whose work is of benefit to you
according to their worth.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour
but instead shall seek out what is praiseworthy in him or her.

You shall not covet your neighbour’s house,
husband, wife, or anything that belongs to your neighbour
for any time you do that you make your own house shabby
and shame your husband or wife.

Rejoice in that which you are,
but neither exaggerate nor diminish it.

[Demian]

Very good work, PrinceMyshkin. There were a few lines in here that especially made me think of a celebrated and persecuted alchemist who once said, "They seek my death because they hate the Christ in me." I think the pondering over the deeper meanings of the Commandments is sublime and commendable. Keep on writing.

[ampoule]

I love this and you are a prince for writing it.

[Pendragon]

Jer, I actually like this, especially your first two stanzas. I have church in my home now, having been tried in absentina and found guilty of something that to this day I really have no idea what, but we had a storefront church at the time. I have been in places that seated many and in places were 40 was a crowd, but it isn't the place of worship, but the worship of the worshipers that makes a service. My friends on LitNet include all religions and those with none, and we find harmony somehow. The Lord indeed would have us be humble, niether know-it-alls nor idiots, peacefully attempting to go through life together.

I am proud to call you my dear friend.

Dale

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l108/AbsalomKane/Smilies/Friends.gif

[SleepyWitch]

polytheism! blasphemy! I like it :D
the tone reminds me a bit of this






Max Ehrmann

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

[motherhubbard]

i thought it was exceptionally beautiful from remember the sabbath on

[CdnReader]

I liked this very very much. Thoughtful, interesting, and deeply spiritual. I especially loved this....




Remember the Sabbath of the spirit
for you were not made for work and acquisition alone
but to reflect upon the mysteries of life and love.


Thanks!

[ampoule]

I liked it yesterday and I like it again today.....your poem!

[Granny5]

Prince, this is beautiful. For one who doesn't believe, you seem to know him well.

[PrinceMyshkin]

I liked it yesterday and I like it again today.....your poem!

Yes, but will you like it tomorrow? I'm remembering an incident when my son, at 5 or 6, was in a grumpy mood. His mother tried to cheer him up by reminding him that she was about to take him to the birthday party of a friend of his. There would be hot dogs and birthday cake and games...

"Yes," he said, "but then it'll all be over!"

When do we ever outgrow that?

[PrinceMyshkin]

Prince, this is beautiful. For one who doesn't believe, you seem to know him well.

Oh, Granny! Sometimes I WANT to be one of the believers! As Einstein said: “I am a deeply religious nonbeliever - this is a somewhat new kind of religion. “