Ashes and the Phoenix 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

“Hallelu-jah. Hallelu-jah. Hallelu-JAH.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; 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

“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

“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

“Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; 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

“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

“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

“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

“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

“endings come upon us,
valleys of dry bones
loom how will our bones rise
from deceit and lies
and greed when we have gone
to the dust, refusing
to listen breathe your breath
into us, re-sinew
us while there is still
time.”
― 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

“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

“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

“we cheered you on
especially when we
thought it would go
our way but when it didn't
follow our script
we turned
and still do. forgive us our stupidity,
cupidity, rapidity,
done-deedity. we don't make it
home
without you.”
― 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

“purity of heart, said
Kierkegaard, is to
will one thing but I do not, and the
tear rends me with
confusion. quiet my heart
O Lord that I may see your
path forward and
let be.”
― 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

“connections opened when
we first stopped hiding
first stopped running
from the truth that
we are not the center. and opened
conversation with
you, the Other, who
led us to an Other, thru
whom we came to know
each other, and our selves.”
― 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

“Sister Joan Chittister says, "We are each called to go through life reclaiming the planet an inch at a time until the Garden of Eden grows green again.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“in the garden a
knowledge was
sought that we could not
deal with of good and evil
not as measures but from the inside. that dark knowing
breaks us still. deliver us please from temptation.”
― 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

“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

“Be not far from me for trouble is near, and there is none to help.”
― 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

“give me a heart to
see your hand in faces and places
smiles and cries in anguish and
anger hope and help the fact of your
presence amidst us all.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“We must stop thinking of God as an other-worldly entity and be open to seeing God reveal the divine presence in us and all around us.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“storms come back
around, like life
crashes we thought were over
but weren't. protect us Lord from
despair, defeat, from
going under when we are most
vulnerable at the
end of frayed hopes.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent

“You give us tasks
that push and pull us
beyond our depths
and yet to our
deepest desires. thank you for the gifts
that we do not call for
yet appreciate
when they have
arrived.”
― Len Freeman, Ashes and the Phoenix: Meditations for the Season of Lent