Peace Poem, 'Til the Bird Flies Home (John 20:19-23)
Peace Poem, 'Til the Bird Flies Home (John 20:19-23)
[These visuals are included in our Pentecost Bundle of resources]
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD FOR ONE-TIME LICENSE
Written by: Sarah Are
"In a world that so strongly lacks peace, I was drawn to Jesus' words from the gospel of John—included in this year’s lectionary for Pentecost. These words of peace are some of Jesus' first words immediately following his crucifixion. On the tail end of violence, Jesus still whispers peace—and not once, but over and over again, speaking directly to the disciples’ fears."
'Til the Bird Flies Home is a short poem reflecting on the startling peace Jesus offers, even after death. What does peace feel like? How do we hold it, share it, and set it free? We encourage you to offer this poetry as spoken word in your worship.
Click the photos on the left to preview the poem.
"There,
at the center of my core—
the peace you left me,
the peace you gave me.
Peace inside me.
Peace around me.
Flying,
like a bird set free,
this peace
inside me.
It’s like a river, or that soft green
valley. . . .
You gave it to me.
You left it with me.
And of course I lost it within myself,
but now I see it, so I’ll give it to
someone else."
—Sarah Are, excerpt from 'Til the Bird Flies Home, inspired by John 20:19-23
Download includes:
- PDF print-ready file of the poetry (for you to print and distribute to members, or copy/paste for worship liturgy).
Uses:
- Invite one or multiple readers to offer the poem as a spoken word call to worship or meditation during worship
- Use the poem in a bible study group or Sunday school to deepen your reflection on John 20 and the startling peace Jesus offers when he appears to his followers after the resurrection.
- Use the poetry to inspire your own liturgy and sermon writing.
Credit Info:
When printing and sharing online or in worship, please always include the following credits:
"'Til the Bird Flies Home," by Sarah Are | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org
Purchase grants one-time use license of resource. Please review our licensing guidelines prior to purchase.
