Recently, I submitted a poem for inclusion in my home church's advent meditation reader. The reader is entitled Deeper Joy and was published by Fairmount Avenue United Methodist Church and edited by our pastor, Rev. Michelle M. Hargrave. Intended to be an advent devotional, I wrote the poem specifically for the group effort by our congregation. When my poem was selected and published as the devotion for December 1, 2011, I felt deeper joy than maybe I am entitled to feel. As I reread the poem I realized the persona in the poem was for me my mother who was grandmother to over fifty grandchildren and godmother and patron of many more. The poem starts out in my voice but by the end of the poem my mom is talking. Way cool! I will channel that woman any time. As my brother Tony commented on facebook: "That lady knew the pathway to heaven." Reproduced below is my gift to all my readers this advent season here on my blog. Merry Christmas.
What Child Is This One I Cradle Tonight
by Rick Hilber
What do you say about God's being?
Is it restricted to existence
An existence such that science can analyze God
Like a fly under the microscope?
If God is in being, is he also not in being?
Does the phrase "Supreme Being"
Denote God's existence only?
What if God is also, not in being,
But Creator of being?
What if God chose and choses to enter into being?
Would he come as an infant?
Would he be born into a loving home?
Would he go hungry?
Would he be put to death for his ethnicity,
Or his gender?
Where would this child find comfort
When he was wet, hungry, or cold,
Or wanted simply to be held?
It is no small wonder,
A human child cradled into this life,
An everyday event,
Which is Christmas.
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