baffled by mercy

when i trust you

and put my hope hoping you

for me will make things work

with my field giving a plentiful harvest

and my cattle, numerously, multiply

you let me down badly

with your refusal

to open windows of heaven

for showers to fall on ground

instead

you open doors of pestilence

to strike my cattle

then i trusted you not

from you

nothing i expected

but you then

flood me with blessings, baffling

me with your unlimited mercy

henry victor     17.04.2003

saw not your face

sabbath is lonely, full of pain

as you take a break to rest

and i saw not your face, even

once, to whisper my love

work days are burdensome

yet, providing a private space

for my shoulders to touch yours

your soul, for my soul to notice

i must let you go today, realize

i, for you to hide your face

from me, for you to retain

your essence for more peace

© henry victor

a morning prayer

my mind is muddled as i turn

to you for a cuddle this morn
a mounting resistance to my ministry
among those you, to me, have entrusted

this opposition slows me down

that greater mission you implanted
in my heart prompting my praying
for clarity of vision and patience

i also pray for courage to speak

with control of tongue at all times
and to yield to the best in me,
enabling the excellent in others

i also pray for you to assist me

with angels that all drop defences
and begin to listen, to build the rule
of love in hearts of humans!

 

Emma and Eva

your ways in the world, for me at least

is always a mystery, and often
very irritating to my sensibility!

Emma at her old age turns to you with great love

but all she reaps in that turning is more pain!

Eva despite her own misfortune works so hard

to care, but hardly anything comes easy on her way!

in this, how do you expect me to announce

your providence, your intimate presence
with those who call your name!

i pray that you heal Emma

and make the burden easier for Eva
proliferating your presence in their path!

 

am i faking

i do not want to talk to my self

and think i am talking to you
the Lord of the universe
whom i seek to love and serve!

there are two that i do not know

there are two that are always unclear
to me: my knowledge of you
and my knowledge of myself!

from this stems my not knowing

or, this exercise becoming unclear:
am i talking to you, or
is my prayer a mere self-talk!

i pray for more genuine prayer

where my talking reaches the ear
of that one who moves the world
speaking to me an audible word!

nothing weighty from you i need

except that you hear my pleas
with an assurance i am heard
and my talking is not worthless!

 Note: Photo credit to Mario Flores.

turning my thoughts

i turn my thoughts to you

i like to see your face
i have questions that trouble me
that i want you to answer

i seek inner strength with an inner cleansing

since the outer remains rotten
and stinking with greed
for power, control, and domination

‘follow me’, is what i heard

and i have followed that voice demanding ‘kingdom values’
submerged and scattered in sacred scriptures
from that ancient world, also in my conscience

those who fear you are few in numbers

and among those who respect your rule
fewer will pick up their cross leaving me
and other powerless utterly alone and speechless

i pray that you multiply those who stand for right

over the many who push, their might
to break the bruised reed
and quench the dimly burning wick

i pray that you give me courage

to walk away like Jesus, empty-handed
when i am crucified, rather then bending my knees
to today’s Herod and Pilate, the insolent might

i pray that you teach me to trust your providence

your unseen presence, and learn that i will, at the end
take nothing into that beyond
hence strive for nothing that is perishing

 

praying a psalm

my awareness of your presence on earth

is more important than owning  my breath!
your subtle existence despite my denials
critically breathe purpose to the cosmos!

in this broken world your face

further gets distorted by chants
of your name arising from tongues
denying space for your silence!

as i survey the skies in the night

the working of your invisible fingers
the moon, the planets and the stars
established beyond the human cities

when i see the seas, the dreaming in your heart

and the massive whales haunted by human trickery
as i consider the jungles, a vision of your mind
and the enormous elephants hunted by manly greed

i see my smallness and pause to look up for help

to break barriers that create inequality among
the diverse beings with their multiple creeds
caring and healing all beasts, birds and fish

but who am i that you should stop

to listen to my pleadings, my helplessness
i know, for sure, you care for me, your created
being to do your peace, piece together your beauty

henry victor     27.05.2002