This God, the Ground of Being...
by Peter Menkin

When reading the prayer of a man long gone, from a book,
one joins across many years
the imagination and dreams, many hopes of a man
and entreats God, the Christ,
in the same way and words

so they become ones own. This is a short experience
to be remembered.
Some people want to be with Christ, his spirit, all the day
and long through the day, which lasts for such a while
they speak to the Lord and offer their innermost thoughts,

small details. We can be so intimate with this God, who cares
about human beings.
Merciful and faithful is this God, the Triune everlasting

wonderous, generous one of unknown being, yet ground of being,
that is the essence of ourselves and the basic thing us
within. A reality that is the great reality. Tell of Him, this source
and maker of the world and all that is in it. Reflection of Him,

this God, Son, Holy Spirit.
Does this story remind you,
reader, of the possibilities you have tasted,
that you know and can say is part of the wisdom that is experience.
The joy that comes, we can see. See what is unseeable.

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Book Review: An Anthology of Christian Devotion: Holy Communion


Massey H. Shepherd, Jr. is a beloved Professor who wrote a number of books and taught many seminary students at the Graduate Theological Union and its Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. I know this as I know some bare bone facts of this man of faith, this Reverend who was influential and I understand a contributor to the modern Book of Common Prayer which Episcopalians use in worship on Sundays and daily life. But I don’t have to write an advertisement for the compiler of “An Anthology of Christian Devotion: Holy Communion,” a book I bought used since it is out of print.

My copy was owned by R.J. Brown, a name on the inside front page of the book, published by The Seabury Press, Greenwich, Connecticut, 1959. I feel like I have a special book, and for my library a collector’s item that I read numerous times in the week. Usually I do so in the evening. I share R.J. Brown’s interest in the book So I imagine. I imagine so for the reason that I bought the book was to get a look at the writings that interested the compiler, so as to gain insight into The Book of Common Prayer. Does this book do this for me? Yes. But more so, the book is a friend and opens my eyes to poetry and short readings from people who had a deep love of the Lord, devotion in their religious life, and a commitment to Christianity.

Quote from the book:
“It must be His voice thou hearest when He says, ‘Come hither, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,’ hence His voice that invites thee: and it must be His voice thou hearest when He says, “This is my Body,’…” Soren Kierkegard

Another reason I chose this book was to enter into and gain in a kind of dialogue about Eucharist. That is the subject about which the title says these devotions give its attention. It isn’t so frequent a thing that I talk with people about Communion, and what it means to us. Today I did so with a woman who is 97, and it was a conversation that came from the Holy Spirit since we had our conversation right after taking Communion together. With this book, one can have that introduction and conversation about Eucharist with this writer, who has passed away and ,as I know and enjoy, left these writings for the edification of readers. It is a joy.

Quote from the book:
“For a bond of love,/a sufficient account of our offering,/the armour of patience,/a stirring up of thanksgiving/confidence in prayer,/mutual indwelling,/a pledge of resurrection,/an acceptable defense at the judgment,/a covenant of our inheritance,/a figure of perfection…” “Before Receiving” by Lancelot Andrews.

The fullness of such a quote from a lovely statement made in poetry is itself a meal. Of course, it tells us about Holy Communion. The poem is longer, but not too long for my taste, so that like the other readings, they do not tire the reader. They refresh one.

If you as a reader of this review wonder what my friend and I said about Eucharist, this quotation above titled “Before Receiving” sums it up—but oh, so eloquently. The book is an eloquent one, and certainly a source of taste--as in taste what we bring to you and have learned for devotion and understanding of our God. There you have my statement about the readings, so there you have also high praise for this compilation of readings about Holy Communion. Certainly one will find it worthwhile to read prior to Sunday Communion, for you will be pleased to share in its depth and sometimes apparent truths known. Here one may gain insight into what was on the mind of Massey H. Shepherd, Jr., too.

Quote from the book:
“Holy and righteous Father, in commemorating here the one perfect sacrifice offered once for all on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ, in joyful expectation of his coming, we offer ourselves to thee as a living and holy sacrifice….” “Liturgy of the Reformed Church of France," 1946.

--Peter Menkin, Easter 2007

Prayer to Aid in the Darkness

There is darkness in my mind, what I've called "the crocodile brain" part. A living darkness, ancient and primitive. I live with this part of me. A teacher says that while traveling, and I say, too, for help with the darkness, short prayers.

Taught that a prayer can be like an arrow, it is also a balm and a solution, a civilizing act, a way to goodness. An arrow to heaven. O Lord, come to my assistance.

At Easter time we rejoice for there is a promise, a certain gift and redemption in the risen Christ. The wonderful prayer in "The Book of Common Prayer" that says, "We bless you for our creation, preservation,/and all the blessings of this life;/but above all for your immeasurable love/in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ..."



One word prayers...(2001)
by Peter Menkin

One word prayers were what I practiced
on the drive home, trying on the way
to see in the night towards San Francisco
where a purple glow in the sky distinguished
the unseen cityscape, and to the north,
metal towers lit with red warning lights, for airplanes
to note in the darkness. I was told by a teacher,
short prayers are good while

travelling. On the way, the Church prays
as it goes and its members do so also. Surprise,

interruption there is peace in the evening;
as a seeker of God, lover of Christ,
I know the distracting onslought
of inner conversation--
ancient enemies that wait
in the darkness of the hour in ones mind,
like the crocodile brain deep inside. Accept
the suffering, and live to God's presence:
my short prayer is "Abba," I cry.

A poem for Easter: Happy Easter!

One fascinating fact about Easter that is telling, is the wonderful role women play in the Easter story. I wanted to emphasize this wonder, so this poem.

Easter Poem
By Peter Menkin

Sharing The Year Long Vigil, Awake--Easter.
The empty tomb, surprised Mary, who,
greeted by an angel of illumined white light,
looked for Him.

Desperate love,
where have you taken Him?
The gardener is asked.
I wonder is the gardener He.

I have met women, who,
today,
wait and go to visit the tomb discovering
He is risen.

These women meet Easter, glory,
third day joy of happiness.
Theirs is vigil, awake.
We share this mystery--love.
















These are some of the searches that have led people to my web page, different from this blog. The web page is a personal web page. It has something about me, and poems. Here are the searches: easter poems for church; religious easter poems; easter vigil poems; spiritual easter poems; easter promise poetry; the empty tomb poem.
How do I know what people search on leading to my web page? There is a service that gives me statistics on my web pages, and the searches listed this month of April, 2007 are the ones about Easter quoted above.