The following poem was inspired

by a message given by Joel Chernoff

at Beth Israel Worship Center,

Northern New Jersey, in 2002...

The Red Heifer

THE RED HEIFER

Numbers, Chapter 19 

One isolated evil

One momentary

blast of terrorism

in the land of Israel

…a solitary explosion

into the life of a child

I'll call that child Sarah

Sarah, about six

is of an Orthodox family

(likely a devout family)

I can't say if shrapnel

tore into her tender flesh

don't know if it killed her parents

or blew their home to smithereens

Can't say if a suicide bomber

pulled the pin on a bus

or in the marketplace

I do know Sarah was terrorized

traumatized, hospitalized

and could not keep

from soiling her bedclothes

It happened over

and over and over

night after night

Rage

ravaging

her childhood

from inside out

Kindhearted people

seeking to console

terrorism's youngest victims

sent toys to the hospital…

baby dolls, trucks

all kinds of plush animals

Sarah's nurse invited her

to select a toy for her very own

Reluctantly, Sarah reached

into the big cardboard box

and pulled out a bright red bull

Sarah hugged the red bull

nestled her nose, playfully

into its velvety softness

clutched it close to her chest

kept it right beside her

Sarah talked to her little bull

told it whispery secrets

She loved her bull

and took it to bed

In the morning

Sarah's crisp white sheets

were clean and dry

and the next morning

the sheets were clean and dry

and the next

and the next

and next

so the nurse asked Sarah

what made her stop

soiling the bedclothes

Sarah looked up sweetly

with big dark eyes

and simply told Nurse

of course, she could not dirty

her bed any longer…

the Red Heifer

was with her

Sarah certainly was too young

to comprehend the ordinance

the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron

of the Rite of the Red Heifer

too young to understand

about its ashes

in the "water of cleansing"

that washed away defilement

too young to recognize the Red Heifer

as a foreshadow of Messiah

Neither can I explain

what occurred or how

but I do know

Sarah took her little red bull to bed

and doesn't soil her bedclothes

any longer

Maude Carolan

A Spiritual Retreat...

Have you ever been

on a spiritual retreat?

Image credit: leeannmancini.com

The following poem was written following a retreat
experience, at Tamiment in the Pocono Mountains,
several years ago.

A special bond develops
when women pray for one another...

WOMEN ON RETREAT

Three women

meet at a lodge

in the Pocono Mountains

They are strangers—

but that soon changes

One, freshly wounded

two, a decade older

had been healed

years before

of the same sorrow

The two

instinctively soothe

the younger sister

with the balm

of compassion

listen

speak soft words

of experience

touch

At apricot sunset

they walk a wooded path

along the edge

of Tamiment Lake

Coming upon

a crude table

and benches

they stop, sit

join hands

and beseech God

as a million tree frogs

chirp crickety crescendos

from shadows

of tall leafy boughs

and deer graze

in their midst

As twilight wanes

they arise to go

then keep

one another

from stumbling

along the rocky path

Maude Carolan

My new book

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

is available now...

To order, click on:

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For more information, click on:

maudecarolanpych.com

Holy Land Pilgrimage--2006

The Marketplace, Jerusalem...

Photo credits: 123rf.com

IN THE MARKETPLACE

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

Crowds, shouts, squabbles

push, shove

Exotic fragrances

of cinnamon, cumin and coriander

waft in the air

Fringed cashmere shawls

in fuchsia, turquoise and black

hang from posts

and rustle in the breeze

Beads, silver Stars of David

olivewood carvings

Here and there

hawking and the banter

of bargaining

Here and there a sign

to mark a holy place

One vendor

catches my glance

smiles and teases:

I don’t care—

Even if you don’t buy

I still love you

A young man

picks the pocket

of an old man

in our group

Others subdue him

pin him to a wall—

get the wallet back

The fellow runs off

and we continue

on our way

Some of us

would like to stop

to browse and bargain

and shop awhile, but

we have a schedule to keep

and it’s getting late

Maude Carolan Pych

The Best News Ever!

I have something to share with you

from the heart of my heart...

WONDERFUL NEWS

I have to share the most wonderful news with those I love most in this world.

The news I have is more precious, by far, than diamonds or rubies or gold.

There was an enormous void in my life. “Is this all there is?” I would ask.

I searched far to find some meaning in life. It seemed an unknowable task.

One day someone shared the Gospel with me, and I learned that Jesus is real.

I prayed to invite Him into my heart and was filled with astonishing zeal!

The day that He gave His life on the Cross, to save all mankind from our sin,

He opened to us salvation by grace; life eternal, the prize that we win.

You know that I share the best that I have with my cherished family and friends,

so listen, dear one, to this wonderful news upon which ever-after depends.

Just open your Bible to the Gospel of John, third chapter, verse number three,

then read of God’s love in the sixteenth verse to learn what has happened to me.

Some people grow up with Bible in hand, without Jesus burning in heart,

some haven’t explored the true meaning of life, some wouldn’t know where to start.

Whether you’re Protestant, Jewish, my friend, Catholic, Muslim, atheist,

my news is for you and all who will hear, who long to receive of God’s best.

You needn’t become a fanatic or prude, I’ve no list of do nots and dos.

God’s Spirit will teach you all you need know. The offer’s too good to refuse.

Although tribulation may take you by storm and trials may bring a hard test,

God’s greater, He’s faithful, He’ll bring you through to victory. You’ll shine in His rest.

This can be the greatest day of your life, the day you receive the New Birth.

This can be the day you begin to know why we’re the happiest people on earth.

Like me, you will yearn to share the Good News with all of the people you love.

Like me, you will want all those you meet to be touched by our Great God above.

Maude Carolan Pych