| Section II of Denise Levertov's The Stream and the Sapphire
is devoted to different poetic portraits of Christian believers. With the exception
of "Dom Helder," they work from other written and visual texts. The
following material represents some of the background of the poems. As you look over
the background, ask yourself, "How does Levertov respond to the text in question?
What does she focus on? leave out? add? highlight?" "Poetics of Faith"
Jesus Walks on the Water (Matt 14:32-33)
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other
side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a
mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was
already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the
wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking
on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.
"It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to
them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the
water."
"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when
he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save
me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he
said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat
worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
"St. Peter and the Angel"
Peter's Miraculous Escape From Prison (Acts 12:1-11)
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending
to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he
saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the
Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to
be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for
public trial after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,
bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the
Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.
"Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so.
"Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. Peter followed
him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really
happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and
came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went
through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent
his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were
anticipating."
"Caedmon"
from the Old English translation of Historia
Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum Trans. Benjaman Slade
"The Servant-Girl at Emmaus"
On the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)
1Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about
seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything
that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus
himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from
recognizing him.
He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are
you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in
these days?"
"What things?" he asked.
About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and
deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be
sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was
going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but
didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who
said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the
women had said, but him they did not see."
He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then
enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them
what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going
farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the
day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give
it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from
their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he
talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with
them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared
to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was
recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Diego Vel�zquez Kitchen Maid with the Supper at Emmaus (c. 1618) Dublin -
National Gallery of Ireland
"Conversion of Brother Lawrence"
Life of Brother Lawrence
The Practice of the Presence of
God: The Best Rule of Holy Life (whole text)
The First Conversation
THE first time I saw Brother Lawrence was upon the 3rd of August, 1666.
He told me that GOD had done him a singular favour, in his conversion at the age of
eighteen.
That in the winter, seeing a tree stripped of its leaves, and considering
that within a little time, the leaves would be renewed, and after that the flowers and
fruit appear, he received a high view of the Providence and Power of GOD, which has never
since been effaced from his soul. That this view had perfectly set him loose from the
world, and kindled in him such a love for GOD, that he could not tell whether it had
increased in above forty years that he had lived since.
That he had been footman to M. Fieubert, the treasurer, and that he was a
great awkward fellow who broke everything.
That he had desired to be received into a monastery, thinking that he
would there be made to smart for his awkwardness and the faults he should commit, and so
he should sacrifice to GOD his life, with its pleasures: but that GOD had disappointed
him, he having met with nothing but satisfaction in that state.
That we should establish ourselves in a sense of GOD's Presence, by
continually conversing with Him. That it was a shameful thing to quit His conversation, to
think of trifles and fooleries.
That we should feed and nourish our souls with high notions of GOD; which
would yield us great joy in being devoted to Him.
That we ought to quicken, i.e., to enliven, our faith. That it was
lamentable we had so little; and that instead of taking faith for the rule of their
conduct, men amused themselves with trivial devotions, which changed daily. That the way
of Faith was the spirit of the Church, and that it was sufficient to bring us to a high
degree of perfection.
That we ought to give ourselves up to GOD, with regard both to things
temporal and spiritual, and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling His will, whether
He lead us by suffering or by consolation, for all would be equal to a soul truly
resigned. That there needed fidelity in those drynesses, or insensibilities and
irksomenesses in prayer, by which GOD tries our love to Him; that then was the time for us
to make good and effectual acts of resignation, whereof one alone would oftentimes very
much promote our spiritual advancement.
That as for the miseries and sins he heard of daily in the world, he was
so far from wondering at them, that, on the contrary, he was surprised there were not
more, considering the malice sinners were capable of: that for his part, he prayed for
them; but knowing that GOD could remedy the mischiefs they did, when He pleased, he gave
himself no farther trouble.
That to arrive at such resignation as GOD requires, we should watch
attentively over all the passions which mingle as well in spiritual things as those of a
grosser nature: that GOD would give light concerning those passions to those who truly
desire to serve Him. That if this was my design, viz., sincerely to serve GOD, I might
come to him (Bro. Lawrence) as often as I pleased, without any fear of being troublesome;
but if not, that I ought no more to visit him.
"The Showings: Lady Julian of
Norwich"
Life of Julian of Norwich
The Showings (samples of the
manuscripts)
"Annuciation"
The Annuciation (Luke 1:26-38)
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to
a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's
name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly
favored! The Lord is with you."
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He
will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom
will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of
God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was
said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have
said." Then the angel left her.
Sandro Botticelli, Annunciation
1489, Tempera on wood,150 x 156 cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence |