in God’s sight
Harvey S. Mozolak

his heart on holy things
he looked beyond…
his mind on heavenly things
he looked above the horizon…
his love so deep
he folded his hands
and closed his eyes to weep…
no
he looked at his disciples
and said
“you are blessed…”

All Saints
Luke 6. 20-31

stature
Harvey S. Mozolak

Zack climbed a tree to see
Jesus
who climbed a tree to be
for all who see
him made small by death
for all
the world
become one large
salvation tree house
where a scaffold is sawn
into a banquet table

Lectionary 31
Luke 19. 1-10

blessing
Harvey S. Mozolak

the blessing
wrestling
Jacobean-style
face to face
precipice to precipice
nailing down God
with hammer holds
struggling
to end the eternal
why
have you forsaken?
there held
in the stopped hands
of time
pinned by God
the blessing
limping away from the wood socket
wearing the life preserver

Lectionary 29
Genesis 32. 22-31

cor coram deo
Harvey S. Mozolak

all ways
where the heart beats
the being found
by the God worn out
stilled it
will be filled
with praise
or dread that to be dead
is not the end
where there is an always
for the found heart
by tradition the figure
is called the sacred heart
of Jesus bleeding red passion
or aflame at the center
of his chest
or is it his?
perhaps his is hidden
within the resurrected flesh
and he rather holds
faith enflamed of earth
bound beating
pray so
belief circulating
its living core

Lectionary 29
Luke 18:1–8

winged tree
Harvey S. Mozolak

small mustard seeds
ground down by God’s greatness
the flavor of faith
chewing life large from death

Lectionary 27
Luke 17:5–10

position prayer
Harvey S. Mozolak

standing by himself
beyond the colon:
God
I thank you
that I am not like others:
politicians
divorced
diseased with sexually transmitted viruses
drug dependent
addicted to the stock market
tongued with hatred
terrorist
hooked on pornographic websites
I like God
AM not like others
standing far off
linked by a series of commas
lashed eyes that cannot bear
the scrutiny of the sky’s sentence
his skin unable to hide his sin
he strikes his heart with his hand
exclaiming
God,
come like others
Jesus, humbled,
be merciful to me
comma,
a sinner
home to God
 
Lectionary 30
Luke 18. 9-14

persistent as sparrows
Harvey S. Mozolak

the floor is worn
by the bed
where the knees
undress the day
and await a blanket
of hushing wings
promise sounding in the wind
the open stained
from the tears
window sill
rain seeking beyond
what can be seen
for the lost to return
the table set
with an extra chair
the one with the wings
waiting for companionship
to harbor hope again
the judge has left the bench
court has ended
justice has retired
fear thunders: awake
and now the gavel
is on his door
like crying
and prayer
a hunger
clawing the clouds
for rest and nest
and shared bread crumbs

 
Lectionary 29
Luke 18. 1-8

eucharistic surfaces
Harvey S. Mozolak

Jesus Kyrie
for whom soft
newborn flesh
was a leprosy of perfection
earthcrust pierced
unavoided
see us bruised
and rash-wrinkled
torn trembling
scared and scabbed
join our band
belling uncleanness
crying a master eleison
to you too the foreigner
among us
who understands the language
of rejection
hears the despising tongue
and speaks with words
stripped of curses
unbandaging salvation
for healing
in the resurrection skin
of thanks

Lectionary 28
Luke 17. 11-19

flat at his feet

Harvey S. Mozolak

at Jesus dusty dirty unwashed feet
the soiled sullied sick
diseased and infected
cleansed
kiss
of the thankful
one of an unclean clan
never foreign
to God
walking among us

Lectionary 28
Luke 17. 11-19

long shadows freeze

Harvey S. Mozolak

bulging eyes
iridescent blue and gold bellied flies
lift off a drying flower
with no power
in October
left to please
the awakened dog bites the air
several times missing
what the night's cooling air
will slowly seize and squeeze

loosed for faith

Harvey S. Mozolak

in a storm
I saw a mulberry tree
float by
on a sea awake
with cargo and ports
whales and fleets of fish
above forests of coral
and swaying weeds
a bark
I believe
but not adrift
its branches reaching
like many masts to fuel
the lightning’s lines
the leaves a thousand
small sails trusting
the wind above time’s tides
roots unanchored of earth
trailing in the currents of God
trunk toward a treasured beach
pebbled with sand
the size of mustard seeds

Luke 17. 5-10
Lectionary 27

worth for worthless

Harvey S. Mozolak

mustard smeared
of earth soiled and dragged
on the alb-white bib of his apron
the red of slaughtered lamb
dripped down on sleeves and hems
and where the iron edge
was wiped against his side
the servant
serving
eat and drink
in order
slave and master
in order
that master may serve
and slave be mastered
the doing
for the ought undone

Luke 17:5–10
Lectionary 27