Vocation as Resistance

By Craig A Roberts

Poetry on the challenge of living our vocation in day-to-day life. When we follow vocation's call it leads us to face the toughest challenge. It comes unexpectedly in daunting ways. And it keeps on turning up. The choice to follow an untamed God down unexpected paths or turn back to a settled way of life. This vocational struggle is the "Celtic challenge of Trasna". Uplifting and provocative.

What is the Celtic Challenge of Trasna? Trasna is the place of crossing over. The challenge is like crossing over a stormy mountain range through an unstable pass. Once we choose to cross over there is no turning back. Uplifting and provocative writings for pioneers and voyagers who live a vocational life in unsettled times. What erupts in-between-the-lines is our own critical relationship with God in vocation.

Contents
Preface
Notes on Language

PART I: GOD MOVING THROUGH US
Anam-charaid
Vocation as Resistance
Amidst Us

PART II: GOD MOVING IN US
The Call
Pathos
Eden’s Dawn
Creator’s Wind
Lead Me On
Unstable Ground
Stay Free
The Creator’s Touch
Take Heart
Untamed

PART III: GOD MOVING BEFORE US
An Gèadh Fiadhaich (The Wild Goose)
Kindle My Fire
Fractured Light
Shattered
Eyes of Grace
Yield or Trust
Ruru (Morepork)
Hunted
Stronger than Dread is Love

PART IV: GOD MOVING BEYOND US
Love’s Grit
The Girl Who Wept
Silt and Clay
Wild Beach
Butterfly Blues
In the Shadow of Your Wings
Wind Tales
Sail Again With Me

• Language: English
• Publisher: Craig A Roberts
• Release date: Dec 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9780473625979

Craig A Roberts

Grey Warbler Press publishes works by New Zealand poet Craig A. Roberts. Craig lives between the mountains and the sea, on Kapiti Coast, Aotearoa New Zealand. Craig weaves poetic tales and meditations as he explores God’s love and pain for people and Creation. He holds a PhD in leadership studies.

Book preview

Preface

Vocation as Resistance - how do you talk about things that seem out of the ordinary? Like an ongoing prayerful dialogue with the Holy Trinity on living vocation in a torn world. How can this be best told? For these are dialogues of pilgrim-journeys. Journeys wrestling with God's pathos and promise for humanity and creation. For me the bardic tradition tells it well.

What takes place when spirit-led vocation becomes a way of life? Unexpected journeys following the Holy Trinity down unimagined and daunting paths of possibility. This is told in four parts: God moving through us; God moving in us, God moving before us and God moving beyond us. As you read between-the-lines may you commune with the Holy Trinity.

Vocation as Resistance is dedicated to those who journey.

Notes on Language

Two Scots Gaelic phrases are used. When spoken they are beautiful sounds which invoke the wonder and the numinous of God. The phrases express the multi-folded layers of meanings both direct and subtle.

Anam-charaid in Scots-Gaelic (anam ćara in Irish) for soul friend. In these writings Anam-charaid is Jesus Christ.

An Gèadh Fiadhaich, Scots-Gaelic for the wild goose. A Celtic name symbolising the wonder of the Holy Spirit who moves untamed by humanity.

Writings also use two words from New Zealand Maori:

Ruru, also known as Morepork, small New Zealand owl.

Kohekohe, the queen