Reflection of the Beloved

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This resource relating to 2 Kings 2:1-12 provides a poem by Rumi (1207-1273) highlighting God's use of prophets as mirrors and a poem by Geffrey Davis recounting one man's revelation from God.
Paid Resource: 
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Lectionary: 
Revised Common Lectionary
Source: 
Englewood Review
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Full Text: 
*** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-12 CLASSIC POEM: Humanity, Reflection of the Beloved Rumi Parrots are taught to speak without understanding the words. The method is to place a mirror between the parrot and the trainer. The trainer, hidden by the mirror, utters the words, and the parrot, seeing his own reflection in the mirror, fancies another parrot is speaking, and imitates all that is said by the trainer behind the mirror. So God uses prophets and saints as mirrors whereby to instruct men, viz., the bodies of these saints and prophets; and men, when they hear the words proceeding from these mirrors, are utterly ignorant that they are really being spoken by “Universal Reason” or the “Word of God” behind the mirror of the saints. *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: What I Mean When I Say Elijah-man Geffrey Davis Snippet: That Sunday in Chehalis, my father testified and I watched as he wept before the pulpit, his shoulders heaving, his hands clapping up thunder above our heads, his mouth open on the note of awe as he told us the promise God had made in the dream: … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]
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Primary Author
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Rumi
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Primary Author
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Geffrey Davis
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Key Scriptures: 
2 Kings 2:1-12
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RCL Lectionary Week: 
Year B Second Sunday in Lent
Date: 
Monday, February 5, 2024