Push Aside the Terror of Things to be Done*

Push aside the terror of things to be done;
They were deceivers, ever.

They catch at you without context,
Claiming territory
Without treaty
On Sacred ground.

Push aside the terror of things calling
Clamouring from the four corners
Claiming the floor

Where He had brought you to dance
To laugh, To sing, With Him
Alone.

But the things
trip you
They know that appeasement
knocks you
On your slight shins.

And your lack of stature in your own estimation
Has put you on higher heels
Than the dance requires.

And you trip early
Before the music plays.

And the terror of things falling
Reminds you
There is so much to clear away
To do away with
To run away from
Before the night falls.

Push aside the terror of things to be done
For the blind beggar is calling,
He is calling out to the Son of David
Whom he cannot see
But whom he knows, he hears
Is passing by.

And the wild clamour of his ardent anguish
Cannot be smothered
By the hostile crowd.

He is losing hope at the terror of people crushing him
But the Master stops
For him alone
And tells him to
Draw near.

And the crowd turns to the seated man
“Courage, Bartimeus,
He is calling you”
And the cloak that protects him
He flings aside
And he runs
In his personal darkness
to the Lord Who waits.

Push aside the terror of things to be done
There is nothing to be done
but to hear Him
asking
“What do you want of me?”
The One by whom all things can be done.

And the beggar,
Wise, in his reckless trust
Begs now for the gift of sight.

And Jesus, son of David
Has pity on him
And says “Go” for the Light has come –

“Your faith has healed you”
The dark has gone
And his eyes receive the sun.

And Bartimeus accompanies Him
Along the road at once.

The terror at last is pushed aside.
The winter is over
And gone.





Sarah de Nordwall October 24th and 25th 2009

*Inspired by the title of a poem (of the same title) by Pope John Paul II and Fr Antonio’s sermon on Bartimeus