Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Winter 2014 | Page 29

the seCond Antiphon

the third Antiphon

o AdonAi and ruler of the
house of Israel, who appeared to
Moses in the burning bush and
gave him the Law on Sinai: come
with an outstretched arm and
redeem us.

o root oF Jesse, standing
as an ensign before the peoples,
before whom all kings are mute,
to whom the nations will do
homage: come quickly to deliver us.

the  meditAtion

the  meditAtion

t

he Law sculpts our sin
in bas relief. We trace
its outline, rehearse
its shape, feel once again
its heft.

We cannot rest easy
watching Moses face
the heat of the bush,
removing his shoes
on hallowed ground.
Our shoes remain.
We are rooted here
but desperate to weave
in and out for old
advantages.
We crave release,
the spring of warmed
muscles, Adonai’s
arm outstretched.
Redemption.
We await him.
Come, Lord Jesus.

h

ere in the dust
we are astonished
by the root’s tenacity,
the only life in a ruined
and dead land.
It stirs underground,
pushes through rock,
ferns curled,
leaves folded,
buds tightly wound,
the bloom finally
loosening and opening
in a place of broken
images and dry breath.

We await him.
Come, Lord Jesus.