First Monday of Advent

(read 2nd Peter 1:1-11)

          my precious

after church, i remove
                          faith,
    dusting off the lint,
    giving the neat row of
          perfect attendance
                              pins
             a polish,
    then hang it up in the
                           back
       of the closet
                         until next Sunday;

out for my morning walk,
                          faith
         follows, padding softly
              alongside, stopping
       every few feet to check out
                 the neighborhood's news,
    and when we go back, she
                              looks at me
         with sad eyes, as I head out
                     for the day,
    commanding her to
                             'stay';

but
    when the neighbor picks
                        it up
             off the knickknack table
             at the yard sale, and asks
                 the price of this
                               dusty, dented
                                    old thing,
    i gently take
                          faith
                back, saying it was
                    there by mistake,
and put it back in my
                               life
       where it belongs.

© 2012 Thom M. Shuman

'Bearers of Grace and Justice', liturgies with communion   for Lectionary Year C; 'Pirate Jesus', prayers and poems   for Lectionary Year C, are available at Amazon.