Before sacrifice
A love inaccessible
Blind to the holy
Holy eye searches man
More afraid of our nature
Nothing in the box
Peer inside using
Applications outside time
What is this but prayer?
Verification
Prelude to the Almighty
Sample miracles
Complete communion
With the empty tomb
The above is a Haiku Sonnet, well almost a haiku sonnet. These aren’t really haiku in the purest sense. They fall into the category of senyrus more accurately. However for the purpose of the Haiku sonnet there was no strict interpretation in some of the examples. So I’m sticking with my designation of sonnet and haiku. (stamps foot for emphasis) This form is a series of 4 haiku with an ending couplet of 5 or 7 syllables per line.
Next Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and Ash Wednesday. For Roman Catholics it is a 7 week long examination of conscience, a time of prayer and fasting and almsgiving. Tomorrow is Mardi Gras where we feast and consume all the things that we will deny ourselves for the duration of Lent. When I was working I’d take all the candy especially the chocolate, and have a little afternoon party. As a chocaholic this was certainly right up there at the top of the list of penances. Because my stress levels have dropped to barely discernable levels, my chocolate consumption (and hoarding) has also dropped. This year I will continue my practice of Doing Things instead of Not Doing Things. The standard is to give up something – candy, listening to the radio, smoking/drinking, caffeine, cursing… the list goes on. However when you lead a squeaky clean life and your only vices are an occasional chocolate and blogging it doesn’t really make sense to give up those things. In solidarity with the Christians in Ukraine, I am going to go all in on fasting and prayer. Instead I’m not giving up but adding things. My list of adding things includes: Not giving the evil eye to people who don’t wear masks, (that is going to be tough but I’m going to give it my best shot), shopping and eating local, tipping double, doing a Bible study (on the book of Psalms), doing a Lenten devotions series, add praying in the morning in addition to the evening Rosary with intentions for safety, peace, and strength for all those in Ukraine. My parish Priest gave a very rousing homily on why we needed to get “battle ready” as the Church Militant which includes “basic training” of prayer, fasting, and more prayer, especially the Prayer of St. Michael the Archangel:
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl the earth seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.