Who Is This Woman?

Photo by Wendy Carlson

Who Is This Woman?
 

Who is this woman who talks to angels

   and is on familiar terms with divinity?

In the fullness of time,

 She bore the fullness of grace.

The shepherds went in haste,

 And found the angels’ proclamation true.

  All were there as they had been told,

    Maiden mother, mentor, and male child.

Those who heard of it were amazed.

Mary looked on in gratitude.

   The silence in her heart

Held the past and the future

     In a balance.

Eight days passed before marking him,

    Naming him,

Whose future pulls us forward. 

Who is this woman

   Who dared to say “Yes”

And, now holds eternal vulnerability

   In her lap?   

                                          Jo-Ann Iannotti, OP                 

The Birth of Jesus

How beautiful is Jesus, Wisdom Incarnate.

He, like Wisdom whom he embodies, is the brightness of God, The unstained mirror of the Divine Reflecting all in God and God in all.

(Excerpt # 126, The Love of Eternal Wisdom: A Revisioning of Saint Louise DeMontfort's Contemplation on Divine Wisdom, Rabbi Rami Shapiro.  Book available through Wisdom House, $5 includes shipping.  Wisdom House, 229 E Litchfield Rd, Litchfield, CT 06759 / 860-567-3163 / rg@wisdomhouse.org)

Incarnate Wisdom is Born

Wisdom entered time as time:

Entered creation as creativity;

And walked among us as many, but none more filled with Her than Jesus

Of Whom the Ineffable said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

To know Him as Wisdom

Is to know Him as the Apostles knew Him at His Transfiguration:

“Light radiant, sublime, immense, unlimited, Older than heaven and chaos” (Hymn of Transfiguration).

That is, they knew Him as Her, Eternal Wisdom,

She who is illustrious, high, immense, infinite, and older than the universe.

Blessed Christmas and holy peace to all.

(Excerpt #19, The Love of Eternal Wisdom: A Revisioning of Saint Louise DeMontfort’s Contemplation  on Divine Wisdom, Rabbi Rami Shapiro.  Book available through Wisdom House, $5 includes shipping. Wisdom House, 229 E Litchfield Rd, Litchfield, CT 06759 / 860-567-3163 / rg@wisdomhouse.org)

Song, Scripture, and Silence in the Manner of Taizè

The Advent retreat, "Song, Scripture, and Silence in the manner of Taizè," was led by Melinda and Bruce Gardiner, Dec. 2-4 in the Farm House at Wisdom House. Periods of teaching, silence, and chanting, using the music of the community of Taizè, France, provided the rhythm of the retreat.

Unthinkable

Unthinkable

 

The  angelic  body  bowed  low

 

in  adoration

 

Before  the  woman  soon-to-be-

 

with  child.

"Blessed,"  he  called  her.

"Why?"  she  asked.

"Chosen,"  was  his  answer.

He  waited.   She  wondered.

"How?  Not  now,"  she  said.

"God  changes  time,"  said

the  messenger.

"A  son  but  no  husband?

A  mother  before

being  a

wife?"

"Impossible!"  she  pro-

 

tested.

"Exactly,"  he  smiled.

                                                                               Jo-Ann Iannotti, OP