I often return to Heaney’s poem Miracle. I love his attention on the friends, this is where he sees the miracle. So often we miss it! Heaney uses the word “tilt” in a few other poems, for example look up his poem Skylight! He urges a different perspective, he desires a wider, deeper meaning. Today there is a lot about our world and ourselves that needs a little tilting, there is much that is out of kilter, much that is tilted too far in the direction of privilege and power and away from a tilt toward compassion and community. We have a lot of carrying, lifting, and caring to do to tilt the fatigue of fear amongst and within so many of our neighbors. This is hard but vital work and it will “numb” our shoulders and “burn” our hands and at times it might even cause some “lightheadedness!”
Miracle
Not the one who takes up his bed and walks
But the ones who have known him all along
And carry him in –
Their shoulders numb, the ache and stoop deeplocked
In their backs, the stretcher handles
Slippery with sweat. And no let-up
Until he’s strapped on tight, made tiltable
And raised to the tiled roof, then lowered for healing.
Be mindful of them as they stand and wait
For the burn of the paid-out ropes to cool,
Their slight lightheadedness and incredulity
To pass, those ones who had known him all along. Seamus Heaney –Human Chain, 2010
Prayer:
Lord God may you
grant us the courage of our convictions
and grant us the courage to live the gospel
which is more about our neighbor than about ourselves.
May you provide us with faith, that will outrun our fatigue,
and with grace that will melt our selfishness and irradicate
our arrogance.
Tilt us toward your Truth,
O Lord of life,
and may our efforts
tilt our world toward wonder and glory not
greed or evil.
Hear this our prayer. Amen.
Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings 
Tilt, a harmless enough word but loaded with tacit meaning! My dog tilts his head when I ask him a question. I have heard countless school photographers ask children if they can tilt their chin a little bit higher, lower, or to the left, or to the right. Years ago a friend was in a serious car accident going as my mother said, at full tilt. And as a 13 year old who had a momentary lapse of judgement in a PE class I was reminded that it might be wise to give my attitude a little tilt in a more positive direction. A little tilt seemed doable at the time.
Today I have been reminded that a miracle took place once the recipient became tiltable, a form of the word I haven’t heard commonly used. As you say, there is much in our world tilted in the wrong direction. As I think of countless examples I can’t help but think of the damage done when something, or someone, tilts too far. Apparently for many, it’s hard to stand upright and to do right, hard to tilt toward a more compassionate solution, a less damaging approach or a stronger stand on what’s right. I don’t think we’re going to have a miracle take place, but I do believe it is always possible for humanity to tilt itself toward making a better world.
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