Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Novice Sister Cecilia Joy presented the poem Shatter at a recent Silver Lake College of the Holy Family student symposium. We share the creative writing here.
Shatter
Covenant Mediator: Adam Covenant Sign: Sabbath
A mirror shattering and continuing to break while falling from a second story railing. This imagery kept circling as my mind was trying to focus on God’s Word in prayer. Ironically, it was this imagery combined with scripture and class insights that inspired Shatter.
The Sabbath was the covenantal sign that God gave Adam and Eve after finishing creation (“Books of the Bible, Genesis 2:2). God did not rest on the seventh day because He needed to, but rather because He knew our needs. Human nature finds purpose in work, but also requires rest and worship if the labor is to bear fruit. The Sabbath was a gift of love from a Father who recognizes some messages need to be shown, rather than simply spoken (Hahn, 50-51).
However, there are a variety of reasons we forget, are unable to honor the Sabbath, or neglect rest within our society today. God’s rest is not simply physical sleep. It is time for recreation and building positive relationships. God’s original justice was for us to exist in four harmonies. Adam and Eve were designed to live in peace with God, themselves, others, and nature. They shared in His divinity, as they were made in His image and likeness (Zamora, “Introduction to Old Testament Notes”). We are mirrors of God as well. Jesus dwells within us and those around us. We are at peace when we are able to see and act towards ourselves and others with mercy and love. Yet, if we take our eyes away from the God within, we fall into a self-made void of despair. Our call to serve others becomes an addiction to fulfilling our needs at whatever cost necessary. We shatter.
Shatter
God designed us to be whole.
We were designed to rest and be
Now shards of glass are crushed on a concrete slab,
the mirror that once was me.
I did not see God’s image, when I looked into my eyes.
I saw the lies, and the disguise of a girl,
who wants to be free.
But she has eaten the apple of craving control,
no longer in union with harmonies.
Shards of glass, her personality,
what God designed as good,
crushed in self-inflicted agony,
and exiled out of a garden, where she was meant to be,
for her own safety,
but unfortunately,
she now only sees debris.
God still loves her, loves her partner,
still wants them to rest and be.
A faithful Lover, desiring to recover,
original justice in four harmonies.
But now shards of glass on a concrete slab,
can only hurt, abuse, and stab.
Sin rips the skin, until God’s grace will pour in,
through the sacrifice of His Son.
The mirror will be whole again.
At least, if we still desire to see Him,
instead of just looking upon ourselves.
