ordinary: the gift of the sacred ordinary

“The great lesson from the true mystics is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is found in one’s daily life, in one’s neighbors, friends, and family.” — Abraham Maslow

Poetry is the latch

stretch out open palms
feel for things beyond your ken
that lie close at hand

search for hidden key
poetry becomes the latch
we're invited in

it's an open door
it's a large, hallowed hallway
we find ourselves here

we're always welcome
removing secular shoes
helps us to listen

wait for mystery
to reveal its heart within
rhythm, metre, words

while our souls expand
to take in the universe
and savour beauty

as we exhale dust
and leave our worries behind
now, on the doorstep

we breathe in soul peace
mixed with mercy, love and grace
the air of this place

knowing we can stay
as night segues into daylight
cares are cast away

and we are laid bare
readied to receive again
drops of holy rain
© joylenton

“Yet mostly we remain unconscious of the fact that even in this simplest fulfilling of our daily needs we are partaking of the holiest mysteries of the sacred within the commonplace of our own kitchen. Great is to be found in little.” — Alice O. Howell, The Dove in the Stone

Gracious Father,

Thank you for the glory that surrounds us, revealed here and there in the smallest of moments, the tiniest glimpses and awe-struck seconds when we pause to notice it.

You inhabit the everyday with your extraordinary power and grace. It is saturated with your joy, exuberance, and peace. Open our eyes to see the humdrum, the ordinary, the mundane as nothing less than sacred ground.

The whole earth has been fertilised with the seeds of your sacred Presence, your divine favour, mercy, generosity, abundance, and love. But we so often overlook it because we’re too focused on below life rather than above.

Help us to sense you in the daily and pay attention to what you are saying through creation’s beauty, in our activities and tasks, and our attempts at seeing and listening hard.
Amen

4 thoughts on “ordinary: the gift of the sacred ordinary

  1. “The whole earth has been fertilised with the seeds of your sacred Presence, your divine favour, mercy, generosity, abundance, and love.”

    Oh amen. Thank you dear Joy, for these precious words. May I allow Him to open my heart more and more, to

    “wait for mystery
    to reveal its heart within
    rhythm, metre, words”

    Your words and photos are such glimpses into that kind of waiting heart. Blessings, love, and hugs to you across the pond! ♥️♥️

    • Dear Bettie, I’m so glad you can relate to those words and the images shared here. You have a gift for sensing the sacred in the everyday, whether through creation’s beauty or through poetry.

      God loves to delight our seeing eyes and fill a waiting, expectant heart with his goodness and love. May you be filled to overflowing as you rest and recover your strength. Blessings, love and hugs to you, too, my sweet friend! xo ❤️🌺

  2. Joy, I love your poem and your prayer! Thank you so much for sharing with us. You know how much I love poetry, just like you do, and this stanza expresses that feeling:
    search for hidden key
    poetry becomes the latch
    we’re invited in

    Much love to you with many blessings! xoxo

    • Gayl, what a joy to see you here! Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a lovely comment. Sorry for the delayed response. I think my mind and body are very much in slowed down summer mode… Zzz… Much love, blessings and hugs to you, dear friend! xoxo 😊💟

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