Monday-Night-Into-Tuesday Morning Offering

Image: George Mendoza

Good evening and good morning, good God...

Well, Lord, I'm really on vacation!

I've reached the point
where the days no longer have names
- at least not names I pay attention to...

Here it is, late Monday night
and but for the messages of some faithful readers
I might have missed a Monday morning offering altogether!

(Thank you, Lord, for faithful readers!)

What shall I offer this Monday, Lord?
I shall offer you a gift from your own hand:
the fresh basil on my caprese salad at dinner tonight...

I saw the chef cut the leaves from a potted plant
so I knew the basil would be special, but --
but my imagination, even my tongue had forgotten
the difference between the absolute truth of fresh basil
and the garnished lies told by shredded imitations
of the real thing...

I offer you Monday evening thanks
for the taste of joy fresh basil brings
from your hand to my lips
and for the way it teases and tickles my tongue,
inviting me to savor the flavors it offers,
reminding me that even in the smallest ways
you delight in delighting me...

Open my eyes and ears, Lord,
open my nose and taste and touch
to all the ways you want to please me
in these waning summer days...

Let me miss nothing you offer my senses:
help me find all your gifts
while they're still fresh and in season
and ripe for reminding how you desire
to appear before me, sound in my heart,
waft by my soul, touch me with peace
and grace my tongue
that I might taste
and see how good you are...

For fresh basil, Lord,
and for your happy salad epiphany,
I give you thanks and praise this night
and in the morning yet to come
and through the days of the week ahead...

Amen.



(Click here for an archive of Monday Morning Offerings)


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