The Peril of Nicodemus

I refer today's little story or poem to the Gospel of John 3:14-21. It is said that Nicodemus was associated with the pharisees in Jerusalem at the time of the Passion. But like Joseph of Arimathea, he was willing to accept the notion that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. In fact, there is reference to a Gospel of Nicodemus or the Acts of Pilate that is not included in the Bible. It is said to include the oldest version of the Veronica story, but that it was written later and has inconsistencies in the writing which suggests several authors. At least that is what I could find out in a quick google search anyway.

Now, to get to my point. It is said that we must turn away from darkness and embrace the light if we are to be found worthy of our reward in heaven. I believe that Nicodemus was willing to accept the light of Christ even though his position and stature disavowed such an idea. This is something we are all called to do; to have faith in something so incredible that we are willing to take a leap beyond our comfort level. To assume that something or someone is out there to catch us in spite of the darkness is a concept most people today would find hard to get a handle on, but we must in order to put aside our sinful past and be fulfilled in a bright new future away from the lures of a secular society. And so, without further explanation, I present the story poem "The Peril of Nicodemus."

Nicodemus is a cat my sister rescued quite a few years ago, in fact, he is at least eighteen years old. He was just a kitten when my sister found him and he has since gone blind. Like all curious felines, Nicodemus wondered out of the house one day and was lost for several hours at best. Now, my big sister is a real Mother Theresa when it comes to stray animals. She cannot resist saving a poor helpless creature along the road or stranded in the yard. I guess you could say she is a Saint Francis of the ASPCA order. So, here goes...

The Peril of Nicodemus

Once, young and agile
Fleet of foot
Always landing so
Orphaned once
Then found
Never to be alone
Amongst the menagerie
Springer, Himalayan
The wild hare
left homeless in the yard.

Then, darkness
Only shadow within
Marking time with other senses
Yet freedom still beckoned
that feline sense of arrogance
Tempting as a kitten
To come out and roam
As the alley cats do
This was the peril of Nicodemus.

A door ajar
seizes opportunity
And thus went Nicodemus
Into a strange new world
Unfamiliar, yet sensing
Smells, sounds so reminiscent
of a time when sight preceded him
A simple length of string entertained
Now, only instinct to guide him
into a cold and formless void.

Yet, she loved him still
Even as the years prolonged her misery
Of knowing her beloved Nicodemus
Would soon succumb to nature’s will
As all our beloved friends will do
But he was special
Her little orphan from the streets
He knew all too well
the meaning of a good meal
A warm place to curl up
in a cruel harsh world
For he was a hardy breed.

And so the hours passed
No sight or sound of him
pawing at the basement door
No purring on the kitchen floor
He was again, alone
Fending in the darkness
Until a friendly hand would find him
And just as fate would have it
Indeed such fortune was apparent
As from out of a cold dark corner
Salvation gathered Nicodemus
And sent him home again.


I'd like to finish this story some time with perhaps a moral or add a little more detail, but for now, it will have to be as is and nothing more. Witt.

A World of Hope...

The following is an article I submitted to a web site called Helium. It is a place to write, critique articles and have your writing rated by other writers. The topic was "How to teach compassion as a way of life for you and your children." In light of this past weekend, it is hoped I have done the subject justice.


Compassion begins with awareness. If you do not take the time to realize that there are others in the world struggling or have it worse than yourself, how can you teach your children to act with compassion? Modeling compassion begins with random acts of kindness. Putting others first in such a way that you put your own needs or desires second is a perfect way to teach your children how to be compassionate persons. Denying the urge to serve one’s self must become a life long habit attainable only through practice. If done enough times, it becomes a part of your life and becomes a part of who you are as a human being.

So we must start with the question; “Who is your model?” Compassion must come from a genuine source like a person who is living or who lived and exemplified the right characteristics. This person clearly sees or saw the unfortunate circumstances of others living in his or her particular time. They were moved and acted upon the need, putting them last in line. Serving others is second nature to the compassionate person; in fact, it is a sense of mission that drives them to it. The mind set is this: “If but one person benefits from my actions, then it was worth the effort.” This is what children need to learn from their parents or guardians. If more people modeled this simple inner dialogue, the world would be a much better place in which to live.

Compassion is empathy, not pity. The idea of walking in another’s shoes for a mile or more can lead us to a place where needs still exist, but suffering is eased. It becomes more about dignity than prosperity, respect than hierarchy and caring than mere responsibility. Governments can do as much or be held to account, but it takes people caring about people to get the message across to future generations. In the final analysis, it comes down to a simple four letter word that has become so misunderstood in our modern world. It really is about love; a word that has meaning in all cultures, all religions and in all societies great and small. It is reflected in the Holy Bible, the Koran and in the teachings of Buddha and in all other great spiritual movements throughout human history.

What would it take for a Muslim to take up the orphan child of a Hindu, or the Christian to care for the needs of a child from China? The answer is, compassion, because it transcends all colors, all religions, creeds and nationalities. It transforms a barren land of hopelessness into a garden of opportunity. It enables people everywhere to see beyond the darkness of prejudice and truly lights up the world. When children can see it occurring right in front of them, then it becomes a reality they will emulate and pass on to future generations. Compassion indeed can change our world. A world of despair becomes a world of hope for all to see.

Shedding the Darkness

Like the approaching sunrise of an early Saturday morning, I felt anticipation growing in my heart. And as the first sounds of bird song rose to greet me on my back door step, I felt the promise of spring fill my lungs with a fresh breath of air. Frost covered the wind shield of my car as the engine awoke with the hum of internal combustion and a tell-tale puff of exhaust. A sleepy eyed town had just begun to adjust to the rhythm of another weekend as a lone traffic light flickered green behind me. I would be taking the back roads today.

Through the countryside I flung the tiny aqua green Chevrolet into fifth gear and proceeded towards the county line. The bumps and jolts of salt abuse and plowed over asphalt stood ominous and black as the eastern sky hinted at a glorious glowing dawn. I had hopes of seeing the sunrise above the horizon before reaching my final destination a mere twenty five minutes away. The familiar trip had become a common occurrence, but on Sundays only and long after dawn’s early light. “What lay ahead in the presence of strangers?” I wondered to myself as the radio static compelled me to push the “off” button. It would be a solemn and prayerful last few miles indeed.

What began as a peaceful, slow evolving day became one as fast and furious as a hungry camp fire devouring the dried and dead remnants of a tall oak tree; its leaves long gone and feeding the earth with potential new life. By the end, an experience treasured with the memories of new found friendship and a renewed sense of purpose to “Go, light my world.” Having been served, fed and pampered beyond belief, there was a sense of optimism, unity and love I scarce can describe through mere words. This was the gist of my retreat experience at Saint Mary’s church. One I hope to follow-up on and put into practice in the near future. For the following new found friends I dedicate this page: Valerie, Gilbert, Sandra, Suzie, Joe, April and Sr. Dean. God bless and keep you as you go about shedding the darkness!