A Clean Salvation

-----------------------/Clean Salvation

Life is dirt; dirty. We spend our lot saturated in blood, mostly;

bloody hatred

smearing the stains of intemperate anger across our souls, formerly immaculate

in principal and practice killing our neighbor slowly, the whole time seething sinisterly

money and sex like ooze and slime, multiplying sludge correlatively with more coins

rolling in greed’s dust

plumes of debris a contaminating mist, eyes afflicted with painful stinging

so we perceive life inversely forever distorted we pick up the grime of lust

hands lecherous and dishonest, with perverse self-serving fingers soiled

to wipe the corners of our face to regain vision, unavailing…because our worldview

has been since Eden

irredeemably contaminated. Forever frustrated we run mad for meaning slipping

on muddy paths of our own avaricious muck wallowing in dreams of our own subconscious

absolutely filthy

backs obliviously turned to the tree of life; a putrid smell of condemnation

When I went to church the other day* I bowed before Mary, a statue sublime

In holy reverence averting my gaze

Her beneficent countenance pained as if whispering chides

as if I were to bathe in penance to please her, her Son

as if purifying rain could fall from the sky in pools of peace

the sky might split

she told me the Jordan is for contrition, and burials therein for those repentant

that freedom is for lovers who dip their hearts in the stream

of second chances,

rebirth reserved only for those who get their hair wet

 doves of reconciliation descending

*The Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC, woohoo!

--------------1 Peter 3:20-22

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Acts 2:38]