As we celebrate Presentation Day may our lives be filled with love and may our world be healed through the grace of Mary our Mother, and her precious Son, Jesus Christ.
~ the Provincial Leadership Team – Presentation Sisters Union (North East Ireland)
Before Jesus was his Mother
Before Jesus
was his mother.Before supper
in the upper room,
breakfast in the barn.Before the Passover Feast,
a feeding trough.
And here, the altar
of Earth, fair linens
of hay and seed.Before his cry,
her cry.
Before his sweat
of blood,
her bleeding
and tears.
Before his offering,
hers.Before the breaking
of bread and death,
the breaking of her
body in birth.Before the offering
of the cup,
the offering of her
breast.Before his blood,
her blood.
And by her body and blood
alone, his body and blood
and whole human being.The wise ones knelt
to hear the woman’s word
in wonder.
Holding up her sacred child,
her God in the form of a babe,
she said: “Receive and let
your hearts be healed
and your lives be filled
with love, for
This is my body,
This is my blood.”~ Alla Renée Bozarth: From Life Prayers
Note: Alla Renee Bozarth is a Russian, Celtic, Osage American poet and Episcopal priest. She has published numerous prose and poetry books Alla has written award winning poetry for over 40 years. Her poems are widely used all over the world, often in collaboration with visual artists, singers and dancers.
See also: A woman’s heart and Open to you, Mary