Len Freeman > Quotes

“misunderstandings test
us. can we say I'm sorry
or do we have to stand
and fall with our
perceptions. help me Lord to stand
for what I believe, yet
to know that I may
not possess all
truth. Aquinas after pages of
describing You had
the blessed humility
to end his words
'but not that.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“let me rest in you
let me pause in you
let me see the day
through your eyes and find peace.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our human nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“deceits are all around us
closer than we know
or suspect. harder to be let down
by those we thought
trustworthy, faithful part of the community
part of your
name. where the angels are
there demons will
be also may we be innocent
as doves and wise
as serpents as you advised us
when you first
came.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Ashes speak to me
of what matters and
what does not. Remind me of the heart
of my heart and that I
and the ones I love are more than what
will dribble into the
ground. May I be thankful
that I await not just
the ashes but the Phoenix.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“on a night like tonight
people passed over from a land filled with suffering
to a place of new heart. on a night like tonight
the wild avenging angel struck down the arrogance
of a people of blood on a night like tonight
death gave its last gasp of trying to hold the
One who'd been killed. on a night like tonight
we all were brought over to a place of new promise
for a life of fresh starts.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“quiet. night. silence moving about while our minds weave in and out, dreaming our ways into tastes of something we cannot express. you come to us in dreams. of wheat stalks, of angels and ladders to heaven, of fat and thin cows, and blankets filled with forbidden foods descending while voices tell us to take and eat, to take the child and flee, to take heart. come to the windows of our dreams again now where night opens the portals and we resist no more your movings in our soul.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“have I spoken your name enough have I opened to speak aloud what my heart believes Jesus.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“we come to red seas
of our own devising
the pains and chains
of a lifetime crowding
us up against the
sands of desperation until we turn and see
your hand swiping
wide the waters to
lead us home on dry
ground give us grace
to turn
and take the path.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Jesus Mary and Joseph Moses Muhammad and Buddha the history books lie when they leave you out as if all those lives never found life or shaped the world, in and through you. May I never forget your name.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“To press on in our journey of faith, especially during Lent, we must open our eyes, hearts, and lives to God's presence right now, in this present moment. Each Sunday, when we eat the bread and drink the cup, we claim our space in a multidimensional world—not a flat one. In those holy and consecrated moments, we are with Jesus at the Last Supper, surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses and in the present company of our worship community.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“how'm I doin' the
mayor said am I living up to
what you had in
mind am I letting down
the side or surprising you
with my wit. how'm I doin'
I ask the Lord am I living up to
what you had
in mind holding up my part
for the side using my best wits
to move the game how'm I doin'
dear Lord on who
I can become”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“in the last days we
seem to cry
about things that
have not gone well
in our lives as if we were supposed
to be immune from
the gifts you gave us of
mortality and limits as if my body was not
joy enough even if not
forever, nor my soul
meant for more.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Let us see that we cannot see it all—around all the edges and corners of creation and the mind of God. We must allow ourselves to be reminded daily of the wonder of the universe—of God exposing Godself to us through our lives and the world and the vast expanse of the whole of creation, without believing we will ever, or should ever, have all the answers.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“I find temptation to be
my teacher. that I am not yet
as noble as I suppose
nor as strong, yet you give me
another chance to get it right today.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“on the steps to the cross
there were stumbles
not by you but by us. mixed signals, cross
purposes, bad karmas
how could we miss
your loving so clear. mixed signals, cross
purposes, bad karmas
our answers were wanting
our visions unclear.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“my family gathers around
like those at the table
in Jerusalem when you took the bread
and said that you
would be with us. we share a cup now
though not always
in remembrance yet your presence is
what truly feeds us
each day. may it be so.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“the maundy's mandates
call us again to remember by doing
to recall by caring bread, wine, feet, souls
the simplest things for telling the most elegant
of stories.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“brothers and sisters
saints wait for the unveiling of
new eyes that see what they
see new worlds possible
with grace. Lord I want to be in
that number when the saints...”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“dark night black
yet calm. like the
inside of a soul
that has not yet
seen the light
but knows that it is
coming. thank you, Lord
for the impulse
of creation.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“for souls that have off wandered
for those who've never heard
for hearts that know but nothing
of what the faith has learned; for peoples that have prospered
in only wealth of gold
but let the values soften
and turned their tone to scorn; give mercy and forgiveness
but more Lord help us turn
to save us from a darkening
a world sore lost and burned.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“One translation of the Greek word for repent is "to go beyond the mind you have.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent