Above:  The Original Text

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

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Loving God, who loves us, mourns with us, and rejoices with us,

the death of dreams and aspirations is among the most traumatic losses to endure.

It cuts to the emotional core of a person, causing great anguish, grief, and anger.

Regardless if the dream was indeed the one a person should have followed

(assuming that it was not morally wrong, of course),

the pain and disappointment are legitimate, I suppose.

I have known these emotions in this context more than once.

I wish them upon nobody, not even those who inflicted them upon me.

May we, by grace, function as your ministers of comfort

to those experiencing such a death or the aftermath of one

and who are near us or whom you send our way.

And may we, by grace, help others achieve their potential

and refrain from inflicting such pain upon others.

In the name of Jesus, who identified with us, suffered, died, and rose again.  Amen.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 19, 2014 COMMON ERA

HOLY SATURDAY, YEAR A

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Above:  The Original Text

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

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Rush not into Easter;

let Jesus remain dead

liturgically for

slightly longer.  He said

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that he would rise again–

as he did so long ago.

On him our hopes we pin–

and salvation also.

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Easter will arrive on

schedule quite soon enough.

Until then think upon

his death painful and rough.

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Then, when Easter is here,

rejoice spiritually

and observe and adhere

to the season gladly,

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keeping Easter fifty

days–through Pentecost–

and marking time holy,

grateful for its high cost.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 19, 2014 COMMON ERA

HOLY SATURDAY, YEAR A