by Sr. Helen McKenna   MMM                                     Ireland/Tanzania                        21.05.2024

Puskins is his name
He’s no more than a growing baby
gone from spoon-feeds to killing rats.

But there’s something special about our cat
He loves to contemplate.
I decide I’d like to pray
I position my cushion,
Sit cross-legged, armed with Bible and pen,
And in no time at all
Puskins has got the message.
Up he jumps, twists and turns,
Finds a comfortable position and curls up.

To be recollected he requires a few strokes
And a help with the scratching of his
pure black, shinny and now healthy coat.
He may even find a button
He’d like to kill and eat!
Then he settles down – just one more
Manoeuvre and he’s ready
He starts his mantra – one long continuous
Purr – rr – rr – rr.

This can go uninterrupted for quite some time
Then the sight of a big stray dog
or the sound of a passing fly
brings Puskins back to full alertness.
He has a look around, decides it’s not worth it
and returns to his restful purr.
I’ve watched this process now for
several weeks and I marvel at it.
How I’d love to contemplate so easily.

And I am to Puskins,
what God is to me:
The constant one, protector:-
“I sit in his longed-for shade.”
“As a child has rest on its mother’s knee…”
“Come to me, all you who are overburdened…”
“Be still and know that I am God…”

Lord, teach me to purr
To purr in the joy of your Presence
To come to you unarmed, just pawed.
Give me a greater longing
To sit curled up in your Presence
Lord, teach me to purr.