Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Seven Reconfigured Sacraments

Et introibo ad altare Dei.
SEVEN RECONFIGURED SACRAMENTS

1. The Sacrament of Reality
There is no God but Unnamable Mystery;
Any other god is nothing before This.

2. The Sacrament of Baptism
When I first realized
That I was going to die.

3. The Sacrament of Confirmation
The times I recognize
Another of my tribe.

4. The Sacrament of Confession
I did it
And I'm glad.


5. The Sacrament of Thankfulness
This impulse of gratitude
For the complex living paradox
Of my own existence

And the existence of everything else.

And for wonderful companions.

6. The Sacrament of Communion
The times I spent
Alone and naked
With one of the opposite sex.

And everything that came from this.

7. The Sacrament of Love
I will love the Unnamable Mystery
And all of Her lesser Mysteries.

With my whole heart
I will love every part.

7 comments:

RoseRose said...

That is truly inspired. Are you accepting disciples?

Mary said...

Hi Nick. Think I will print this off, post it on my wall next to my computer (where I spend most of my inside time) and smile every time I read and re-read and re-read.
Thank you!!!

Arne said...

You're lovely, Nick

bob said...

GORGEOUS!! So simple and full of wisdom!

Anonymous said...

You can't name the supposed mystery but you know its sex and that it has parts? Then it doesn't seem all that mysterious or unnameable.

nick herbert said...

Throughout history people have used millions of words, gestures, architecture--even mathematics--to attempt to represent the Nameless Mystery. "The Way that can be spoken is not the True Way." Likewise my words--mere pointers--not intended to name the Unnamable but to shift the reader's attention in a new direction.

auntiegalen said...

I read this
And I'm glad.

Because in you I recognize
Another of my tribe,

Wonderful companion.

Impulsively grateful
for your existence

And everything that comes from it.

Before I die,
I will love the Unnamable Mystery
that is you
With my whole heart
I will love every part.