Prose Poem by St. Ephrem

Orthodox Icons c. 1300
Annunciation, Nativity, Christ's Baptism, Transfiguration

I have been pondering the Incarnation--the greatest event in all history--but the words of Christ Himself (John 14:15-28) gave me pause: If you love me, you will keep my commandments.... Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid...If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. But wait--aren't they coequal with the Holy Ghost? And this prose poem on the Transfiguration by St. Ephrem the Syrian came on my radar... It is so beautiful and I understood suddenly that in His humanity, our Lord really became somewhat lesser, even though He's fully human, fully divine. Such a paradox. He was entirely dependent as a child. He could've come down from the Cross, but He didn't. He chose to empty Himself completely for our salvation. I'm no theologian, so take my thoughts with a box of salt and please just enjoy this glorious meditation on our Lord.

“The facts themselves bear witness and His divine acts of power teach those who doubt that He is true God, and His sufferings show that He is true man. And if those who are feeble in understanding are not fully assured, they will pay the penalty on His dread day.

If He were not flesh, why was Mary introduced at all?
And if He were not God, whom was Gabriel calling Lord?

If He were not flesh, who was lying in the manger?
And if He were not God, whom did the Angels come down and glorify?

If He were not flesh, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes?
And if He were not God, whom did the shepherds worship?

If He were not flesh, whom did Joseph circumcise?
And if He were not God, in whose honor did the star speed through the heavens?

If He were not flesh, whom did Mary suckle?
And if He were not God, to whom did the Magi offer gifts?

If He were not flesh, whom did Simeon carry in his arms?
And if He were not God, to whom did he say, “Let me depart in peace”?

If He were not flesh, whom did Joseph take and flee into Egypt?
And if He were not God, in whom were words “Out of Egypt I have called My Son” fulfilled?

If He were not flesh, whom did John baptize?
And if He were not God, to whom did the Father from heaven say, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased”?

If He were not flesh, who fasted and hungered in the desert?
And if He were not God, whom did the Angels come down and serve?

If He were not flesh, who was invited to the wedding in Cana of Galilee?
And if He were not God, who turned the water into wine?

If He were not flesh, in whose hands were the loaves?
And if He were not God, who satisfied crowds and thousands in the desert, not counting women and children, from five loaves and two fishes?

If He were not flesh, who fell asleep in the boat?
And if He were not God, who rebuked the winds and the sea?

If He were not flesh, with whom did Simon the Pharisee eat?
And if He were not God, who pardoned the offenses of the sinful woman?

If He were not flesh, who sat by the well, worn out by the journey?
And if He were not God, who gave living water to the woman of Samaria and reprehended her because she had had five husbands?

If He were not flesh, who wore human garments?
And if He were not God, who did acts of power and wonders?

If He were not flesh, who spat on the ground and made clay?
And if He were not God, who through the clay compelled the eyes to see?

If He were not flesh, who wept at Lazarus’ grave?
And if He were not God, who by His command brought out one four days dead?

If He were not flesh, who sat on the foal?
And if He were not God, whom did the crowds go out to meet with glory?

If He were not flesh, whom did the Jews arrest?
And if He were not God, who gave an order to the earth and threw them onto their faces?

If He were not flesh, who was struck with a blow?
And if He were not God, who cured the ear that had been cut off by Peter and restored it to its place?

If He were not flesh, who received spittings on His face?
And if He were not God, who breathed the Holy Spirit into the faces of His Apostles?

If He were not flesh, who stood before Pilate at the judgement seat?
And if He were not God, who made Pilate’s wife afraid by a dream?

If He were not flesh, whose garments did the soldiers strip off and divide?
And if He were not God, how was the sun darkened at the cross?

If He were not flesh, who was hung on the cross?
And if He were not God, who shook the earth from its foundations?

If He were not flesh, whose hands and feet were transfixed by nails?
And if He were not God, how was the veil of the temple rent, the rocks broken and the graves opened?

If He were not flesh, who cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned Me”?
And if He were not God, who said “Father, forgive them”?

If He were not flesh, who was hung on a cross with the thieves?
And if He were not God, how did He say to the thief, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise”?

If He were not flesh, to whom did they offer vinegar and gall?
And if He were not God, on hearing whose voice did Hades tremble?

If He were not flesh, whose side did the lance pierce, and blood and water came out?
And if He were not God, who smashed to gates of Hades and tear apart it bonds? And at whose command did the imprisoned dead come out?

If He were not flesh, whom did the Apostles see in the upper room?
And if He were not God, how did He enter when the doors were shut?

If He were not flesh, the marks of the nails and the lance in whose hands and side did Thomas handle?
And if He were not God, to whom did He cry out, “My Lord and my God”?

If He were not flesh, who ate by the sea of Tiberias?
And if He were not God, at whose command was the net filled?

If He were not flesh, whom did the Apostles and Angels see being taken up into heaven?
And if He were not God, to whom was heaven opened, whom did the Powers worship in fear and whom did the Father invite to “Sit at my right hand”. As David said, “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, etc.”

If He were not God and man, our salvation is a lie, and the words of the Prophets are lies.”

St. Ephrem Syriac icon

Transfiguration by Raphael (1518-1520)

Memoirs and the Creative Life

It's strange but although I was fully planning on reading some fiction, these memoirs came on my radar... 

Suleika Jaouad's Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted was beautifully written without a trace of sentimentality, even though all her dreams of becoming a war correspondent were shattered upon the diagnosis of leukemia. She spent nearly four years in the hospital enduring chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. While there, she began writing. I love that it began as a 100-day project upon a suggestion of a social worker and that it turned into a blog and a column for the New York Times. She is a gifted writer. I loved that she had a supportive family, a boyfriend who dropped everything to care for her, and friends all over the country. After she was "cured" she realized she didn't know how to live. This is when healing begins. She confronts her fears, goes on a 100-day journey, meeting people she'd corresponded with from her hospital bed. She finds herself. 

The Book of Alchemy is a collection of 100 personal essays and writing prompts from different creatives, each with an introduction from Suleika Jaouad. It is a book one can dive into over and over and perhaps some of the prompts will become your favorite exercises. 

There I Am: A Journey from Hopelessness to Healing by Ruthie Lindsey was so beautifully written. She drew me into her life, her family, and then into the harrowing pain that was her constant companion. How ironic that she was hit by an ambulance. And the surgery that saved her life also gave her a life of chronic pain. Modern medicine can be amazing but it does not address pain very well. How she crawled out of the pit of darkness by choosing to focus on little moments of beauty and joy was the road to her healing. I just loved how much support she had from her family. I recommend reading this if you suffer from any kind of pain and sorrow. You will be enveloped in Ruthie's compassion. 

Reading Just Making by Mitali Perkins was like having a delicious cup of tea with the author as she shares her journey as a children's writer, the questions she asks herself, the lessons she's learned, and encourages us all to keep making--bring truth, goodness, and beauty into a suffering world.

Joyride by Susan Orlean was the most disappointing of all the memoirs, even though she's a wonderful writer, is curious, and adventurous. Although I learned a lot about the magazine world and the stories she chased, it left me hollow. She writes that this memoir is about her stories, but I expected more of herself in it. The personal moments are extremely guarded. Why write a memoir then? Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a review copy. 

New Non-Fiction Picture Books

I have really enjoyed the "Consider" series of books by Jennifer Grant and illustrated by Julianna Swaney, so I was delighted to see that they had a new book: Consider the Night Sky, especially since the original meaning of the word "consider" is to literally examine the stars! 

The book begins with the sun and daytime and how as evening comes "orange and pink and purple paint across the sky" and finally "the sky fades to smoky gray and then turns inky blue or black, it is Night!" Now we explore the night sky--phases of the moon, constellations, planets, empty space. Lyrical writing paired with beautiful illustrations lead a child gently to wonder about the vastness of the universe, how God knows each and every one of His creations, including the reader. A wonderful introduction to astronomy. Thanks to  NetGalley for a review copy. 

 

The Messenger by Lyndsay Roberts Rayne is a nearly wordless picture book that tells a story of love and sacrifice for a greater good so beautifully. One little girl gives up her beloved dog to be trained as a messenger dog to be used on the frontlines during WWI. The soldier and the dog develop a deep bond and when the soldier is injured, it is the dog who comes to his rescue. This is a  picture book for older kids--8 and up--because of the reality of war. At the very end, the author gives more information about the animals that were used during the war. Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.  

Journey of Shunya Means Zero

I just received my author copies of Shunya Means Zero, a book that's had a very long gestation...23 years!!! Sometimes, when you flip an idea on its head, it falls into place.

I've always been fascinated with numbers and patterns and so it was natural to write about the history of our numerical system. Magazine writing has trained me to have a tight focus so I decided to stick to the history of zero, which was invented in India, and followed it with an introduction to the history and culture of India using the tried and true method of counting. Zero violence. One Taj Mahal. Two Language Families. Etc.

 
I started submitting to publishers in 2003 and after about a dozen submissions over three years with only a few personal rejection letters encouraging me, I shelved it. I was busy writing other books and teaching. In 2017, I revisited Shunya (see Vijaya Bodach: Journey of Little Thief! Chota Chor! ) and flipped it--first the counting, then the history of zero and it was accepted right away by Reycraft. My editor, Sunita Apte, helped me make the text even tighter and I was so delighted that Nayantara Surendranath was again paired with me to do the illustrations. But it was a long wait...but God's timing is always perfect. And worth the wait. 

I wrote this for my children, but it is their children who will be the beneficiaries of this book. I was able to dedicate it to my grandbabies. Just five days after Dagny's baby boy was born, my editor sent me the final art (I'd seen some sketches before but seeing the art in full color took my breath away) and we went through another round of tweaking the text. I had the baby's initials for the dedication. Yay! I wrote to Max and Laura, asking whether they had decided on a name for their baby girl. I promised I'd keep it secret and only my editor would know, lol. But they hadn't decided. So I went with babyB. 

I got an email with the final proofs the day Max and Laura's sweet baby girl was born. We still didn't know the name until the evening, but once they decided, I shot back an email to my editor for the final dedication. Whew!!! 

More importantly, although I'm proud to be American, I have not forgotten my roots, the place that began shaping me into the person I am today. I have wanted so much to share it with my children, but by the time they were old enough that they'd remember a trip to India, my health was declining, and travelling was (still is) too hard on me. Max and I had the opportunity to go to Kolkata and work with the Sisters of Charity in 2020, but the lockdowns meant no travelers were being issued visas. It was a huge disappointment. I pray that we'll all be able to take a family trip to India with the children and grandchildren...but in the meantime, they'll have this book. It is so much more meaningful now than when I first penned it. I can't wait to share it with not just my grandbabies, but with school children everywhere. Here's Grandpa practicing for reading to the grandbabies :)     

Let Freedom Ring!!!

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” ~Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776).

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend celebrating America's 250th birthday! We had a relatively quiet celebration, walking over to Smythe Park for music and food. What a surprise to have an Indian food truck! And Dagny made the beautiful fruit platter. But I really, really missed having fireworks on Daniel Island. If not now, then when?

My thoughts are very much on the freedoms we enjoy. True freedom isn't doing anything we want, but the freedom to do the right thing. As our pastor reminds us, we are free to sin, but not free from the consequences of sin. May God help us choose rightly!

July 4th would've been my father's 98th birthday. And I keep praying that he chose to be with Jesus in heaven. I am so grateful to him for bringing us to this country. I fished out an old picture, a Polaroid, that was taken when I was naturalized as a US citizen in the courthouse in Spokane, WA. I was 19 years old and had been waiting for this day since arriving in the US five years prior as a "resident alien." The term evoked laughter with thoughts of Martians (my family is from Maharashtra and years later my kids would simplify it to Martian). I knew even then that the US was the BEST country in the world to live in. And it's been confirmed over and over since living and visiting other countries. I came across a tweet by Jordan Peterson where he sums up the root of America's greatness: Dr Jordan B Peterson on X: "To the Americans: I've travelled all over the world. I've familiarized myself with many places, and met many people. And I'm a Canadian, although I’m privileged to reside once again in the States. And here's something I've noticed, and it’s a key element of America's continuing" / X 

I am so happy that my barbershop chorus will bring our Red, White, and Ringing show to various communities this summer to celebrate America's 250th birthday. God bless America!!!

Books about the Writing Life

At the beginning of this year, I discovered Philosophy of Writing by David Arndt. It's one of the best books I've ever read about WHY we write. The point of writing is to test and examine our thoughts, to clarify, deepen, and refine them. It leads to truth and wisdom. Arndt also has many practical tips at the end for good writing. I highly recommend it and thank Bloomsbury for an Open Access copy that you can also download: Philosophy of Writing: : David Arndt: Bloomsbury Academic - Bloomsbury  Doesn't that cover make you want to slip inside the book?

This first half of the year has been busy with babies and music and travelling, so I am relishing the quieter pace this summer to read and write. I feel like I am returning to myself. Spiritual Direction for Writers: Everyday Rituals for Your Writing Life by Charlotte Donlon came on my radar at just the perfect time. Although I rushed through it to write a review, I will be getting my own paper copy to mark up, to accompany me. Those who've not had spiritual direction might wonder what it is--it is to invite the Holy Spirit into a holy conversation, to affirm, to clarify, to raise questions, to listen. It is creating a sacred space for attentive presence. Although Donlon writes from the Christian perspective, writers of all faiths should be able to relate to her spiritual direction and apply it to their writing lives. I found it fascinating that when my writing isn't going well, I'm also struggling spiritually.

I loved the premise: that all of life is the writing life. Donlon organizes the material into four parts: Belong, Become, Behold, Bestow. And even before we begin, there is silence. Before silence, breath. Before breath, being! The blank page waiting to be filled. A sacred space full of possibility. Isn't that just beautiful? She writes gently and with great insight. Some examples: Begin where you are, begin with 15 minutes, begin with prayer. Belong to yourself, belong to your desires, belong to a poem. Become friends with time, become more at peace with uncertainty, become a writer who writes in the dark. Behold through contemplation, behold the ordinary, behold your own writing. Bestow through words and objects, bestow through story, bestow through intercessory prayer. And then to Begin Again. I loved the concept of how we return in cycles and spirals, how it reinforces connection to our own selves, others, God, and our creative efforts. This is a great gift for writers. Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy.

Spiritual Direction for Writers made me think of Henri Nouwen's Life of the Beloved, in which he explicates how much we are loved by God, and when we realize it, how our lives change. We recognize that we are Taken, Blessed, Broken, Given. So much of the writing life is about receiving and abundance of blessings and then transforming them--our experiences and insights--as gifts, for readers.

Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process by Peter Elbow has to be one of the best books on the craft of writing. His chapters on Voice are some of the most insightful. Write with freedom. Revise later. Easier said than done for some of us who struggle with perfectionism and all its related fears. Spiritual direction helps to move from fear into freedom, as I begin to trust the creative process, in God even more.

I really enjoyed Sue Monk Kidd's Writing Creativity and Soul earlier this year. Part memoir, part writing advice, it reminded me so much of her older book--Firstlight--a compilation of her essays in Guidepost magazine, full of wisdom for the creative life. 

A Most Beautiful Father's Day Weekend

This past week has been full of so many blessings, with priestly ordinations in our diocese followed by the beautiful first Mass of our very own Father Philippe and the baptism of our little grand-daughter on Father's Day. My heart is so full. Seeing Father Philippe grow in his vocation--he sang with us for a year while he was discerning--has been such a joy. And to be ordained Father's Day weekend was so very special. A couple of years ago, I discovered this beautiful prayer, and I was so heartened to see it on Father Philippe's holy card he chose commemorating his ordination. We received a blessing and it is such an honor and privilege to kiss his anointed hands. Deo gratias! Let us never forget to pray for our good and faithful priests, who make untold sacrifices for their flock.

Father Philippe chose the Sparrow Mass by Mozart for his first Mass of Thanksgiving in honor of our Lady, Star of the Sea, who always, always guides us to her Son. The Mass was magnificent--the music evokes the cheerful chirping of the sparrows, small and humble, totally dependent on God's Providence. The church was full of parishioners, altar boys, seminarians, deacons, and priests on this Saturday morning, all worshipping together. Msgr. McInerny gave the homily, on Father Philippe's journey to the priesthood, how it began in childhood, his faith nurtured by his parents and those before him. My mind wandered to the hymn: Faith of our Fathers--how necessary fathers are for transmitting the faith. Michael told me that one time during confession a priest told him that no matter how devout the mother is, grace flows to the family through the father, who is the head, so it is paramount that he practices his faith. This was even true in the Holy Family--grace from the Heavenly Father flowed to the Holy Family through St. Joseph. It is truly wondrous. Fathers, you are so important!

Sunday was Father's Day and it was so beautiful that Max and Laura brought their little daughter to the Heavenly Father for baptism. I was so grateful she could wear our family's baptism gown. She was alert and didn't cry even once as Holy Water was poured onto her forehead. She's such a sweet baby, taking after Laura and her mother. Our families had the best time getting to know each other and to have both our grandbabies under one roof was such a joy. We are already envisioning the years ahead... It's been so wonderful to see our children grow in their vocation--it is no surprise given the good example of their own fathers. May they continue to provide and protect, love and lead their families to heaven! Heaven!!! 

It was a busy weekend with all the family, all the outings, both baby and I took a nap. It is the sweetest thing of all.  

Summer Garden

I am so blessed that Michael is a good gardener. We've been enjoying winter greens--kale, collards, cabbage--all winter and all spring. But when the bugs started to get into them, I harvested everything. Now we're enjoying the fruits of the summer garden--lots of cucumbers and tomatoes. Okra and peppers are coming in regularly too, and finally the eggplant. We had a little crop of plums and peaches too. A big fat raccoon and cute little rabbit visit the garden every day too... 

 

We just love sitting out on the back porch with our kitties, smelling the flowers, and enjoying the fruit of our labor. Tell me, how does your garden grow? May your summer be full of bountiful blessings.