March, 2013

AND NOT A DROP WAS WASTED

In the dark I kept my Vigil

Easter Week, Thursday night,

first day of my retirement

I’d volunteered to go to the baptistry, pray

half an hour by the Host and Wine

consecrated for use, Holy Week

---

There on the altar

lit by a candle

and the moon

streaming down through stained glass

highlighting on the wall a bas relief

carved in redwood, holy couple, mother and son

Before me, as I knelt on a cushion

was a book on a stand, opened to a psalm

red ribbons lying along the text

---

A priest came by, genuflected

stood up, moved forward

removed the stopper

from the vessel holding the Wine

inserted a funnel, silver

poured in more, from a decanter

perhaps from services

earlier in the day

then, finished, removed the funnel

stoppered the vessel

stepped back, knelt

made the sign of the cross

---

And not a drop was wasted, I said softly

He paused, put his hand on my shoulder

Amen, he said

Amen, I replied

---

He stood, turned

walked back into the darkness

I resumed my meditation

words of the psalm before me

still

candle burning

moon washing

the bas relief

the altar

me

---

Love,

not wasted that night,

or ever,

Love,

precious,

consecrated,

sacred

My vigil

Grateful

Continuing

(c) 2013 Robert Nielsen