In Fall of 2008, I began a fifteen-year journey with St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse of Lisieux to the Mystical Kingdom of Catholic and Royal France. The four poetic prose in this series contain the spiritual themes of everything I later developed over the years. The seeds of every ensuing expression came from them.
Read them joyfully, prayerfully, and with a sense of discovery. They remain in the original free form in which I wrote them. I pray that you, too, will seek the friendship and sisterly care of St. Joan and St. Thérèse!
Joyously through the woods on The dance of freedom We came to a bridge where I Froze in my tracks “What? This on the path of the Dogmatic Creed?” I could not accept “The path of the Dogmatic Creed Cannot contain this!” “No, it cannot be…I became lost Looking for this very bridge” The bridge had a sign on the front “The Bridge of Reason” On the other side was another sign But it could only be read from There My new saintly sister and my new Family Ran joyously over the thing with no Hesitation They were lighter and simpler than Me, though I could not cross like them For if Reason has a bridge here On the Dogmatic Creed It had to be a mighty weak And shadowy bridge My saintly new sister beckoned From the bridge “You must have Reason to find Our destination – come!” She waved me on “This path,” I stammered “Cannot Hold true Reason!” “In the beginning was, well Nothing” “I have enjoyed the journey, but I Am afraid it is a mere dream!” “Tell? Your reason came from nothing?” Her eyes widened but danced and smiled “Then your rational reason is born of Irrational nothing!” “Rationality swims out of a pool of Irrationality!” she burst out laughing “No wonder you were lost, Dear brother” she gazed “I must take you to the Logos The Verbum” “Hurry along!” Her gaze penetrated my soul Something that gave me joy But I had come to fear I had trouble answering her “No! True Reason cannot come From Unreason!” she giggled “You’re mad!” She laughed again and waved Me on “Only Creative Reason can create Reason – come on!” she was anxious “We shall meet love, yes” “But in meeting love we shall also Meet the Logos! Reason Himself!” Hesitating no longer I ran to meet her on the Bridge It was much stronger than I Had anticipated To my saintly sister’s Annoyance I stayed for a while To soak in the joy of the View, that of real Reason From the bridge on the Narrow path Of the Dogmatic Creed The path of the Apostolic Fathers Giving in I ran to the other side and Continued the journey But wait! I turned to read the Sign forbidden me before The sign read: “In Principio erat Verbum” “In the beginning was the Word” Once more my saintly sister Had brought light and wisdom To my eyes In the beginning was Verbum The Word of Reason As we danced on from our (or Should I say my) Harrowing ordeal My saintly sister yelled back to Me “Reason is Love And Love is the Reason!” She danced and laughed What next?