Backward Mutters

Category: poetry

  • O Adonai

    O Adonai

    The Great O Antiphon for December 18 is O Adonai which reads, “O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.” From Sinai’s bush…

  • O Wisdom III

    O Wisdom III

    December 17 marks the beginning of the step towards the Nativity in which the Great O Antiphons are sung in the liturgy. Many know the Antiphons through the advent carol, “O Come, O Come Emanuel.” Each of the antiphons is based upon a messianic promise in the Old Testament which…

  • A Light Shown Forth

    A Light Shown Forth

    This poem is based on John 10:22-39. Jesus is at the temple in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah. The irony in the passage is that the shepherds of Israel, in the portico dedicated to Solomon, son of David and wisest of kings, are in the dark about…

  • The Promise

    The Promise

    The book of Jeremiah is hard reading. In much the same way as Lamentations, Jeremiah has at its heart promises of great consolation in chapters 30-33. These chapters will serve to be the source of reflection in a series for Advent which begins today. This sonnet is based on Jeremiah…

  • King of Peace

    King of Peace

    This sonnet is a bit reworked. (Is any poem ever finished?) It is based on Hebrews 7:1-8:1 in which the author of Hebrews explains the priestly ministry of Jesus Christ in light of the priest and king, Melchizedek, who appears in Genesis 14 blessing Abraham and giving him bread and…