And Artemis II carries Integrity
towards Luna, a bright arrow
arcing beyond Terra’s daughter.
Four people of honor
and skill carry our hopes
and dreams with them
on a mission of peace
not a missile of death.
How many hospitals
and carbon-free power
sources could be built
for the dollars and research
and effort invested in
this mission.
On this Wednesday two
days before the crucifixion,
at the house of Simon the leper,
Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus
with a pound of pure spikenard,
precious as a years wages .
A disciple objects, comparing
what could be done with
the sale of the nard to feed
multitudes of the poor.
Jesus tells him not to trouble
the woman, she is anointing him
as was customary to honor
the dead before burial.
The poor will always be there
and He will be gone.
Some say that the one who
questioned using such a precious
ointment was the one who
betrayed Him for thirty pieces
of silver to the conspirators
who wanted to kill him.
All these centuries later,
there are those who are
ready to strip the protection
of the creatures of the sea
for the profit obtained from
our time’s precious oil.
And He spoke truly, the poor
are still with us and when He
died He was already anointed.
Many have called the launch
of a rocket, “lighting the candle”.
And we saw that incredible
sight this day. And tonight there
will be smaller missiles launched
with no glory in the payload
just gore and destruction.
Some churches have a special service
on Ugly Wednesday called
a Tenebrae service, which is
more often done on Good Friday.
The symbology is the same.
Candles are snuffed out one by one
as the world moves into shadow
with His death immanent or in
the full moment. This is followed
by a big noise, like the earthquake
as His soul departed.
People miles away from launches
at Cape Canaveral report
that the noise is so loud,
the shockwaves so intense
that you feel it in the core
of your body. That candle
has just been lit. I pray that
it brings the hope it has promised.
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