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A Poem to Sit With
First Sunday of Lent
Year A
February 26, 2023
J. Janda
Reading I: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Responsorial Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
Reading II: Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19
Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11


Then the devil left him
and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.
(Mt 4:11)

Christ Our Earth

That old faith

a deceit
a lie
Lucifer’s negation
of all that
is created by
the Father

through the Son
in the Spirit

is death

Lucifer’s denial that
Christ
could become earth
live
in earth on earth

choose a point
a place
in time
in the universe

which he had made

and be obedient to
it
while following his
Father
in the Spirit

denying nothing
that is;
embracing all

teaching us that to
believe
is to deny nothing
that is;
to embrace all

Lucifer’s denial
is death

J. Janda

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J. Janda’s poems have appeared in newspapers, magazines, anthologies, and literary publications, as well as in books of his own poetry.
Copyright © 2000, J. Janda
The present poem comes from the Janda's book, In Embrace.
Art by Martin Erspamer, OSB
from Religious Clip Art for the Liturgical Year (A, B, and C). This art may be reproduced only by parishes who purchase the collection in book or CD-ROM form. For more information go http://www.ltp.org
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