My Dove
This paragraph is for women. The first reading is from the Book of Songs. What wonderful, descriptive language. Look at your husband. Do you picture your husband springing across mountains, leaping over the hills? Is he like a gazelle or young stag?
“For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!
“O my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret recesses of the cliff,
Let me see you,
let me hear your voice,
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely.”
This paragraph is for men. Do you look upon your bride as a dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses? Do you call to her, desiring to hear her sweet voice?
For both women and men. Monday before Christmas, maybe you do not feel very poetic. Things might be a little frantic. Plans are changing and changing and changing. Maybe your husband looks more like a lumbering hippopotamus. And your wife’s voice is more like wailing ambulance siren. But hey! You can step back. Remember the joy of this season. Happiness is something fleeting, joy is internal. Hang on to it. And the best way to do that is set aside some time for peace. A bit of quiet to energize and recharge. A moment to get away. Yes, you can do that. Think of the times Jesus went to a quiet place. Do what you can and let God take care of the rest. You will be just fine.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Fr Ed Anderson
Email: fatheredanderson[at]gmail.com
Phone: 715.817.3736
St. Joseph Church – Rice Lake
Holy Trinity – Haugen
St. John the Evangelist – Birchwood
Our Lady of Lourdes – Dobie
