Encounters with Trinity

A poem and meditation

by Hannah Garrison

I encounter God in nature, in wooded walks and
under the boughs of trees,
on the shores of rivers and lakes, listening
to the chorus of creation.

I encounter God in his scriptures, and
through the people who read them.
I encounter God in stillness, warmth, and comfort,
in good meals and wine glasses, with glad hearts and
friendly company, by crackling hearths and
between lavendar-scented sheets.

I encounter Jesus on the roadside, lying on rubbish-crusted sidewalks
and under tarpolin tents, in soup kitchens, Planned Parenthood clinics and
public parks, handing out and recieving peanut butter sandwiches.

I encounter Jesus in the hearts of poets and storytellers,
in slips of red ribbon bookmarking Bibles and journals,
and on the banks of the Thames, fishing and giving
his spare bread to a duck and collie.

I encounter the Spirit in the pew, carried on the chorus of a song,
in the ache of my heart at the sound of a pipe and a mother crying, and
over the expanse of waters and tears for bone-white coral.

I encounter the Spirit at the branching of the paths,
when day turns to dusk and night becomes dawn.
I encounter the Spirit through
the love of the Father and the gifts of the Son.