February 5, 2016

My Journey to God

The Presentation

Four hilly miles from Bethlehem she pressed,
Up to Jerusalem, cradling her “yes”
As a newborn babe in her adolescent arms.
While there to dedicate her son
Per the Jewish law and custom,
She met a man who spoke of grace and harm.
Perhaps the “righteous” Simeon smiled
As he gazed upon God’s very child,
Before foretelling of future grief and joy.
Prophesying what God designed,
Simeon spoke of humankind
And what God planned to do through the infant boy.
How would one react when hearing
Of the promised salvation nearing,
And that your heart would be pierced by a sword?
But this was not just any “one”—
This was the mother of God’s son,
The one who trusted the angel Gabriel’s word.
One can only guess that she
Would hold the words as mystery
As when the kings and shepherds both knelt, awed.
May we ponder, just like Mary,
The normal and extraordinary,
And treasure all as the perfect plan of God.

By Natalie Hoefer
 

(Natalie Hoefer is a member of St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis and is a reporter for The Criterion. This poem commemorates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which was celebrated on Feb. 2.) †

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