Emptiness is a room without furniture.

Emptiness is a chair where the beloved once sat.

Emptiness is a graveyard.

 

Emptiness is a place where people should be, but are neither seen nor heard.

Emptiness is a cityscape in shambles, a Dresden, Hiroshima, London, or the Bronx

Emptiness is an abandoned church.

 

Emptiness is a desert–a vast desiccation–lacking the green of trees, grassland, pasture, meadow, or lea

And a stormy or calm ocean surface without human or beast.

Emptiness is a moonscape. It is a Mercury or Pluto.

 

Emptiness is the deep hunger of a weeping child

And a needy person without bread in hand.

Emptiness is a drug addict on a street corner shooting up.

 

Empty promises

Empty words

Empty talk

Empty head

Empty heart

No love is in my heart

To others to impart.

It’s such an empty thing.

Its woe now I will sing.

Empty life

Empty of meanig

 

Emptiness is space between planets, stars and galaxies,

a universe without God and a life without meaning.

 

Emptiness is nothingness.

Nihilum

Camus’ absurdity:

Dust to dust, ashes to shes, nothing to nothing

Nada, zippo, zilch

 

But, even emptiness contains something.  It is not usually a vacuum.

Empty atmosphere

Empty goals

Empty pursuits (power, fame, wealth)

Empty thoughts

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher.”  (Ecclesiastes)  Futility

 

The gods and their devotees offer empty consolation. (Zechariah)

The idols are empty wind. (Isaiah)

 

Emptiness is the place of demons, seven replace one. (Matthew)

The house was thoroughly swept

And so the demon said

To his infernal friends

“Let’s go and make a homing

And in the waste stop roaming.”

 

Empty of faith, hope, and love

 

Nevertheless,

“My word will not return to me empty, but do what I intend.”  (Isaiah)

Creatio ex nihilo

The first man is of dust.  The second man is of heaven.  We are in the image of the man of heaven.  (I Corinthians)

Don’t empty the power of the cross by the wisdom of the world. (I Corinthians)

The Word will always stand

Sent forth by God’s wise hand.

 

Christ emptied Himself, even to death on the cross.  (Philippians)

In the form of a servant and of God,

Humbled

To the cross.

Exalted

With a Name

Above all names.

The knee bows.

The tongue confesses.

Jesus is Lord

To the glory of the Father. (Philippians)

 

I looked out of the window at the unadorned, empty branches

And wished for a green time–

The green of faith; the green of hope; the green of charity.

From desolation to consolation

From emptiness to fulness

The budded cross reminds us of these three

And the Holy Trinity.

 

Emptiness is not the final word.

But, God is final in His Word.