Carmelite Quotes<p><strong>Quote of the day, 10 April: Jessica Powers</strong></p><p>I love Abraham, that old weather-beaten<br>unwavering nomad; when God called to him,<br>no tender hand wedged time into his stay.<br>His faith erupted him into a way <br>far-off and strange. How many miles are there<br>from Ur to Haran? Where does Canaan lie,<br>or slow mysterious Egypt sit and wait?<br>How could he think his ancient thigh would bear<br>nations, or how consent that Isaac die,<br>with never an outcry nor an anguished prayer?<br>I think, alas, how I manipulate<br>dates and decisions, pull apart the dark,<br>dally with doubts here and with counsel there,<br>take out old maps and stare.<br>Was there a call at all, my fears remark.<br>I cry out: Abraham, old nomad you,<br>are you my father? Come to me in pity.<br>Mine is a far and lonely journey too.</p><p><strong>Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit, O.C.D. (Jessica Powers)</strong></p><p><em>Abraham (1967; 1984)</em></p> <p>Powers, J 1999, <em>The Selected Poetry of Jessica Powers</em>, <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.icspublications.org/products/the-selected-poetry-of-jessica-powers" target="_blank">ICS Publications</a>, Washington DC.</p><p><strong>Featured image:</strong> <em><a href="https://rkd.nl/images/51193" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Abraham serving the angels</a></em> is an oil on oak panel painted by Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1607–1669) in 1646. In this scene from Genesis 18, Abraham welcomes three mysterious visitors who renew God’s promise of a son. Sarah, standing in the doorway at right, overhears and laughs in disbelief. Image credit: Netherlands Institute for Art History / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)</p> <p>⬦ <strong>Reflection Question</strong> ⬦<br>Where is God calling you to walk by faith today—without a map, without delay?<br>⬦ <em>Join the conversation in the comments.</em></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/abraham/" target="_blank">#Abraham</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/faith/" target="_blank">#faith</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/jessica-powers/" target="_blank">#JessicaPowers</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/journey/" target="_blank">#journey</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/old-testament/" target="_blank">#OldTestament</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/poetry/" target="_blank">#poetry</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/readiness/" target="_blank">#readiness</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/sr-miriam-of-the-holy-spirit/" target="_blank">#SrMiriamOfTheHolySpirit</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://carmelitequotes.blog/tag/vocation/" target="_blank">#vocation</a></p>