The Alter

We all watched him carry his Sorrow to The Alter.
He dropped to his knees before Our Creator
And bowed his head
And he began to weep.

We watched appreciative Tears of Joy stream down one of his cheeks.
We watched anguished Tears of Regret flow down the other.
And after a prolonged, deep and distant gaze at the ground before Our Creator
We watched as his face fell slowly into the palms of his hands
And We heard his Voice for the first time.
"How Great I Loved," he sobbed.

We watched as Our Creator leaned slowly towards him
And whispered into the young man's Heart.
And We witnessed
Our Creator's Peace surround Him, purifying Him.

Then, louder and clearer and most assuredly,
He raised his gaze to Our Creator,
And He spoke one last time,
With a new Understanding, Strength and Conviction,
"How Great I Love," He announced.

And He wiped the tears from his cheeks.
And He rose, standing tall and proud.
And We all watched Him leave His Pain at the alter.

And when we could no longer hear His Footsteps
We swept up the thorny branches He had left behind
We placed a pile of tinder there in the center of the hearth
We laid those switches out evenly over the flames we fanned

And We watched the Sacred Fire burn and grow
And Prayed while
We all warmed ourselves in its Blessed Glow.