The 60-Second Sabbath

worship

  • If It Comes to That

    If it comes to thatI shall travel aloneto that far shore;I shall worshipand know rapture. Praise is never a lonely pursuit;union defines adoration.Who can separate the Loverfrom the Beloved? Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.… Continue reading

  • The Confrontation

    "Oh, my gawd!"she squealed."It's Jesus!" And it was,standing in the doorway,just as we'd finished another verse of"Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee." "What are you doing?" he asked. "We were just singing about you,"I said."Every week we…well, we praise you." He… Continue reading

  • Stained Glass

    The sanctuaryhas never glowedwith such cool beauty. The restored rainbow of western windowsburns with unnatural intensity,set ablaze by the setting sun. Fans swirl chill airover and around us.Awe is worship,is wonder. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All… Continue reading

  • I Am Dreaming

    I am dreaming,but the reality of lifetendrils through it: In an open, echoing sanctuary,a handful of us plan an upcoming service,but my unorthodox beliefsand unconventional practicesaren't the right fitfor the expected worshipers. They ask me to leave. I go without… Continue reading

  • The Steady

    There are waysto be renewedby the ancient:stand silent and mindful    in a rank of redwood minarets,    beneath a sequined Montana night,    at the apex of a Mayan pyramid,    on the unsteady edge of an ocean's immensity, … Continue reading

  • Praise

    I praise the One whose arms support me,who knows when to lift me above danger,who knows when to put me back down to face it,whose presence is ever with me.who keeps the unseen way clear. I praise the One who constantly surprises,whose… Continue reading

  • On the True Nature of Church

    Every now and then,I take a picturethat seems to need no commentary. Here is one–a bumper sticker I saw recently in my neighborhood. Why does this speak to me?My response is,"Yes, that's it exactly…"  Text and image © 2012 by… Continue reading

  • The Cathedral

    In this foreign, colonial square,amid fountains and pigeons,a sudden rainherds us to sanctuaryin the silent narthexof the town's old cathedral. Instantlywe transform from tourists to penitents–hushed, awed, immortal. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Epiphany

    Epiphany,and three queens approach the manger–royalty from the south–following, not a star, but intuition. Now it's time for Joseph's heart to ponder,while Mary's quickens,and she lifts the childto each woman in turn,so they may coo,slip warm, wrinkled fingers around the smooth… Continue reading

  • We Can See

    We can see,but that doesn't mean we look.We can hear,but that doesn't mean we listen.We can speak,but that doesn't mean we converse.We can know,but that doesn't mean we understand.We can embrace,but that doesn't mean we accept. We can gather to… Continue reading