Poetry

Lectionary Poetry – 21st Sunday After Pentecost ( Year B )

With the dawn of a new church year, we have launched a new feature on our website, a weekly post of poetry that resonates with the lectionary readings for that week (Revised Common Lectionary).

 
 

*** Revised Common Lectionary ***

Lectionary Reading:
Mark 10:35-45

 
 

CLASSIC POEM:

The Mother of Zebedee’s Children
George MacDonald

SHE knelt, she bore a bold request,
Though shy to speak it out;
Ambition, even in mother’s breast,
Before him stood in doubt.

“What is it?” “These my sons, allow
To sit on thy right hand
And on thy left, O Lord, when thou
Art ruler in the land.”

“Ye know not what ye ask.” There lay
A baptism and a cup 10
They understood not, in the way
By which he must go up.

She would have had them lifted high
Above their fellow-men;
Sharing their pride with mother-eye,
Had been blest mother then.

But would she praise for granted quest,
Counting her prayer well heard,
If of the three on Calvary’s crest
They shared the first and third?

She knoweth neither way nor end;
There comes a dark despair,
When she will doubt if this great friend
Can answer any prayer.

Yet higher than her love can dare,
His love her sons will set:
They shall his cup and baptism share,
And share his kingdom yet.

They, entering at his palace-door,
Shall shun the lofty seat;
Shall gird themselves, and water pour,
And wash each other’s feet.

For in thy kingdom, lowly Lord,
Who sit with thee on high
Are those who tenderest help afford
In most humility.

*** This poem is in the public domain, 
  and may be read in a live-streamed worship service.
 
 

CONTEMPORARY POEM:

Zebedee’s Gift
Philip Kolin

Snippet:

Then one morning everything changed.
The sky spired with an eastern light
as the waves wrapped our boat like a prayer shawl.

Read the Full Poem ]

 
 

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C. Christopher Smith is the founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books. He is also author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church (Brazos Press, 2019). Connect with him online at: C-Christopher-Smith.com


 
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