Regeneration

This poem is inspired by the following line from an article by Mary Baker Eddy titled “Fallibility of Human Concepts”: “A little more grace, a motive made pure, a few truths tenderly told, a heart softened, a character subdued, a life consecrated, would restore the right action of the mental mechanism, and make manifest the movement of body and soul in accord with God” (“Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896,” p. 354).

In prayer I reach for what will
blaze a renewal, a resurgence; a
spark that kindles, not necessarily
quick, just steady; not from without,
but already warm within.

Maybe it’s as simple as “a little more
grace,” a yielding to sweetened
thought from God that dissolves
edgy division and animosity.

Or “a motive made pure” that
washes clean the wanting to get
with selfless joy that serves our
divine Parent, God – Love itself.

Then there are “a few truths tenderly
told,” stifling cold, numb darkness
with gentle spiritual light coming in
like the unassailable sunup.

It could be “a heart softened,”
where steely human opinion crumbles
to nothing in the certainty that God
only blesses us with good.

Perhaps “a character subdued,”
where brash pride relents as the
divine nature of Love – the source
of our only real identity – is
openly embraced.

Moment by moment these solid,
sometimes slow, upward steps wing
“a life consecrated,” refreshed
and ripe for springing into newness.