Therese seems a bit irritated at the post below called "Domincans and Carmelites," perhaps correctly so--sometimes my fumbling repetitions and articulations are aggravating; however, I am striving to come to understanding myself and to balance the words of St. John of the Cross with the understandings that others have conveyed. Many times it is imprecision in my language that is the source of the frustration. I am a better poet than I am essayist and so sometimes I do not say precisely what I mean and so I try once again. And I must thank Therese for forcing me to this labor, for only in so doing do I straighten out the crooked places in my own head and finally begin to come to a real understanding of St. John of the Cross and the radical nature of his teaching on prayer and Union.
St. John of the Cross would certainly note that prayer and reading scripture and study are all good, meritorious and fine things. But he would also note that there comes a point in devotion (I haven't reached it yet) where study, particularly, but perhaps certain aspects of the other things can become obstacles to the greatest Good. The things themselves are not obstacles, but our inordinate desire to do them in the ways we have done, stand in the way of progress toward God. That is not that study becomes bad, but it becomes an obstacle because we are not willing to change what or how, but continue in our same plodding way. Thus the DESIRE to study stands in the way of the desire for Union. We would prefer to study than to really approach the royal throne.
Many deny that this may happen. They see that all study will inevitably lead to God. (At least this is how I read some statements defending intellectual pursuit.) Therese points out rightly that St. John of the Cross would stand against "Study for Study's sake." But he would also stand against the desire to study weighed against the desire for Union, and this is where constant discernment is necessary. St. Thomas Aquinas spent much of his life in study, approaching nearer and nearer the throne of grace as his studies carried him. His famous statement "all my words are as straw," is not a statement that the study was futile. I read that as the realization that he had reached the end of where study alone could take him, he relinquished the desire to continue as he had done and crossed the threshhold to divine Union--although I am certain that he must have experienced something similar throughout his life in order to progress so far. I see St. Thomas realizing not that study is bad, but that true Union with God requires laying down everything, just as Christ did, to approach the Throne of Grace.
Perhaps I read too much into this short statement, but I truly believe that it was this experience, in part, that shaped much of John's spirituality. Study is not bad--it is a good, a positive good. However, when the desire for study outweighs the desire for union the desire becomes an obstacle. It can become an obstacle for others when they are inclined already to study more than to pray. When reading books about spirituality becomes the predominant mode of discourse rather than direct encounters with our loving God, study has gone astray. It is not bad, but our desire for it is disordered and thus an obstacle.
On a personal note: I have reached this stage relatively earlier than many because study presents a temptation for me that may be greater for me for others because others are more properly focused. As an example, in my early twenties, I took it into my head that I would become a great hiker and outdoorsman. To achieve this goal, I read every book there was about hiking and doing things in the outdoors, but never set a foot outside.
I know I am not unique. There are a great many potential Fausts out there. I know further that there are many who are not aware that study can become an end in itself--not bad, but not the highest good. And so I continually try to say--study is good. Knowing the beloved is essential, but watch that study does not replace prayer, that it does not become a desire to "dissect God" and know how He works, rather than a desire to convey to all people the workings of God. This never seemed to get out of hand with St. Thomas Aquinas, because he seemed to accept when it should end. However, if we chose to look, we would probably find a great many for whom the desire for study became the end and an obstacle to the divine union they might otherwise have achieved.
The Next Installment of the Study Guide
Ascent of Mount Carmel VRead pages 149-153 (Book 1, Chapters 13-15). Chapter 13 is the key chapter of the entire first book.
Chapter 13
(1)
What does the first sentence tell you about the purpose of this chapter. What is the “active way”? Why is it important? What is the “passive way”? Who initiates it? Why does John want to set our advice here?(2-3)
What is the first critical element of the active night of the sense? Why is this so? Read the last sentence of section 3 again—what does this seem to require of us?
(4)
What motive is most likely to help us in the imitation of Christ? Why? Look at John’s two examples and write down two similar examples from you own experience that you can begin to act on right now.
(5)
What is the purpose of the maxims that follow?*(6) (Key Section 1)
Choose one of the statement that being “not to” and explain it in your own words. Name two ways that you could begin to put this maxim into effect. How might you begin to put all of them into action? Pray about it and discern a reasonable plan of action.(7) What is likely to be a major obstacle to your success in entering this first dark night and beginning the Ascent?
(8-9)
How does the advice here help with the advice in section 6. What is John truly saying here?
(10-11)
What is the path of the Ascent. (Look back at the diagram on page 110-111) Is it possible to fail in the Ascent? How? Is the most direct route the easiest? the most sure?
*(12-13) (Key Section 2)
Summarize the teaching of these sections in a sentence or two that you can write down and carry with you. What is St. John of the Cross telling us about the conduct of the spiritual life here? Jesus tells us “He who sets hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy of the kingdom of God.” How are these statements similar?
Chapters 14-15
What is St. John’s point in these sections? How do they support the critical information in chapter 13?
Reflect:
How can we mentally and spiritually prepare ourselves to enter the Dark Night and thus begin our Ascent? Pray, consult with your spiritual director, and make you own plan for preparing yourself to carry out St. John’s teaching. Or perhaps you are already well along this road, what can you do to perfect your practice of it? Perhaps you are in a dry place waiting for God to take control. What practices might you implement that will sustain you through the dryness?
The ICS translation with additional information:
from The Ascent of Mount Carmel Book I Chapter 13 St. John of the Cross2. Though these counsels for the conquering of the appetites are brief and few in number, I believe they are as profitable and efficacious as they are concise. A person who sincerely wants to practice them will need no others since all the others are included in these.
3. First, have habitual desire to imitate Christ in all your deeds by bringing your life into conformity with his. You must then study his life in order to know how to imitate him and behave in all events as he would.
4. Second, in order to be successful in the imitation, renounce and remain empty of any sensory satisfaction that is not purely for the honor and glory of God. Do this out of love for Jesus Christ. In his life he had no other gratification, nor desire any other, than the fulfillment of his Father's will, which he called his meat and food [Jn. 4:34].
For example, if you are offered the satisfaction of hearing that that have no relation to the service and glory of God, do not desire the pleasure of the hearing of these things. When you have an opportunity for the gratification of looking upon objects that will not help you love God more, do not desire this gratification or sight. And if in speaking there is a similar opportunity, act in the same way. And so on with all the sense insofar as you can duly avoid such satisfaction. If you cannot escape the experience of this satisfaction, it will be sufficient to have o desire for it.
By this method you should endeavor, then, to leave the senses as though in darkness, mortified and empty of that satisfaction. With such vigilance you will gain a great deal in a short time.
5. Many blessings flow when the four natural passions (joy, hope, fear, and sorrow) are in harmony and at peace. The following maxims contain a complete method for mortifying and pacifying them. If put into practice these maxims will give rise to abundant merit and great virtues.
6. Endeavor to be inclined always:
not to the easiest, but to the most difficult;
not to the most delightful, but to the most distasteful;
not to the most gratifying, but to the less pleasant;
not to what means rest for you, but to hear work;
not to the consoling, but to he unconsoling;
not to the most, but to the least;
not to the highest and most precious, but to the lowest and most despised;
not to wanting something, but to wanting nothing.Do not go about looking for the best of temporal things, but for the worst, and, for Christ, desire to enter into complete nakedness, emptiness, and poverty in everything in the world.
7. You should embrace these practices earnestly and try to overcome the repugnance of your will toward them. If you sincerely put them into practice with order and discretion, you will discover in them great delight and consolation.
Tr. by Kiernan Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez
I repeat these in the clearer translation for fear that I may have misrepresented both St. John and His teaching in the post below where I have excerpted his work. Tom asked a question that led me to believe that I must have made untoward claims for what is said here, so I'm trying to quote enough to let the passage speak clearly for itself without unduly wearying the reader.
Dominicans and Carmelites
If you read the excerpt from St. John of the Cross below, you will have a better understanding of the ground on which John da Fiesole and I stand when we cross swords on the question of what is the purpose of study and how much should be done. I would claim to be one of the least anti-intellectual people I know, and yet, I fully follow my mentor. I seek to know all about God, and so my desire to find out myself must be subsumed to His will for me, whatever that may be. At least that is how I understand it. My desire to pursue knowledge is actually a hindrance to the kind of knowledge (Love) that I really want. Difficult to imagine, but at least that is how I understand St. John of the Cross, and thus my attempts always to temper those who hold up study as one of the highest efforts of humankind. It is, and yet, if St. John is right, it also is quite likely to get in the way.
I actually received an e-mail that asked me a question about which I can blather endlessly, in theory. One must understand that I have not reached these exalted heights and so all that I say is a synthesis of others.
The question:
"I've heard of two dark nights--dark night of the soul and dark night of the senses. The latter I take to be a kind of depression or unhappiness, the former the true unitive dark night. Any clarification?" (This is a gross paraphrase.)
Okay--let me talk about St. John of the Cross's scheme of spiritual growth in the via negativa. The way he sees development in prayer is through two DIFFERENT dark nights. The first of these two is called "the dark night of the senses." It consists of two parts, as does the latter. The first of these parts is the active, the second passive. In the dark night of the senses we enter into a deliberate attempt not to gratify the appetites. In olden days we would say that we would practice "custody of the eyes." But in the case of this dark night, we do not seek to gratify the senses--we deprive ourselves, as a matter of discipline and out of love of the Lord of those things we strongly desire. This is more than asceticism--it is a deliberate attempt to break the chains of desire that hold us away from God. If we love any creature inordinately, we cannot love God as He deserves. With this practice we enter into the dark night. In God's good time, as He sees fit, we may enter the passive night of the senses, in which God completes the purgation begun by our own effort and perfects it.
The second dark night is called the dark night of the spirit, and it too has a passive and an active phase. The second night focuses more on the spiritual faculties--intellect, memory, and the will, not the senses. I have yet to fully understand this, as I am slowly moving through the Ascent of Mount Carmel and Dark Night of the Soul. If you'd care to read more about this from someone far more knowledgeable than I, look here. Mr. Doohan does a wonderful job of explaining what may seem like abstruse doctrine in very comprehensible terms.
I'm still working--largely unsuccessfully--on the active night of the senses. But I have great hope that God will see fit to aid me in His time and in His way.
From Kathy's Gospel Minefield a link led me to this:
The Dante's Inferno Test has sent you to Purgatory!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:
| Level | Score |
|---|---|
| Purgatory (Repenting Believers) | Extreme |
| Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers) | Very High |
| Level 2 (Lustful) | Low |
| Level 3 (Gluttonous) | Very Low |
| Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious) | Very Low |
| Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) | Very Low |
| Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics) | Very Low |
| Level 7 (Violent) | Low |
| Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers) | Low |
| Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous) | Very Low |
St. John of the Cross considered this part of the only information a beginner or proficient in prayer needed to know to continue. Obviously, he expected a lot of his beginners. These instructions are how to enter the active night of the senses--one part of the Dark night over which we have some control.
from The Ascent of Mount Carmel Book 1, Chapter 13 St. John of the Cross10. To conclude these counsels and rules, it will be fitting to set down here those lines which are written in the Ascent of the Mount, which is the figure that is at the beginning of this book; the which lines are instructions for ascending to it, and thus reaching the summit of union. For, although it is true that that which is there spoken of is spiritual and interior, there is reference likewise to the spirit of imperfection according to sensual and exterior things, as may be seen by the two roads which are on either side of the path of perfection. It is in this way and according to this sense that we shall understand them here; that is to say, according to that which is sensual. Afterwards, in the second part of this night, they will be understood according to that which is spiritual.
11. The lines are these:
In order to arrive at having pleasure in everything, Desire to have pleasure in nothing.
In order to arrive at possessing everything, Desire to possess nothing.
In order to arrive at being everything, Desire to be nothing.
In order to arrive at knowing everything, Desire to know nothing.
In order to arrive at that wherein thou hast no pleasure, Thou must go by a way wherein thou hast no pleasure.
In order to arrive at that which thou knowest not, Thou must go by a way that thou knowest not.
In order to arrive at that which thou possessest not, Thou must go by a way that thou possessest not.
In order to arrive at that which thou art not, Thou must go through that which thou art not.
12. When thy mind dwells upon anything,Thou art ceasing to cast thyself upon the All. For, in order to pass from the all to the All, Thou hast to deny thyself wholly in all. And, when thou comest to possess it wholly, Thou must possess it without desiring anything. For, if thou wilt have anything in having all, Thou hast not thy treasure purely in God.
This is, admittedly, the unfortunate and awkward translation of E. Allison Peers, the one which many read and which leaves them utterly mystified--with good reason. The translation fails in most cases to be good English, much less a good translation from Spanish.
So, while it is awkward, I think the sense of it shines through. The point of the instruction is to cultivate a habit of mind in which these things predominate. We are called to the via negativa--which is denial of self--but NOT denial of creation. That is all created things are good, but many serve as obstruction on the path to union with God. Many natural goods start as resting points and then become sticking points. St. John of the Cross insists that the way around this is to take pleasure in nothing less than the presence of God himself. That doesn't mean to make yourself miserable to ascend the mount--at least I don't so interpret it. I read it more in line with Plato's cave of illusions. All created things are merely shadows and images of that which truly gives pleasure--so rather than chase after the shadow--chase after that which casts the shadow to achieve true happiness in Union.
I invite other comments, questions, challenges. I am by no means expert and stand to learn a great deal from the many who often comment here. What I say is NOT definitive, it is merely an attempt to make clear what I think the great teacher is saying, and by making it clear make it more probable that I shall put it into action in the near future.
A Barometer for the Day
From the Office of Readings:
Revelation 3: 14-19
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea, write this: " 'The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God's creation, says this:
15
"I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot.
16
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
17
For you say, 'I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,' and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
18
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
19
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.
I had not realized that I hadn't posted this last month. Tonight I'm working on Part V. Please use these if you find them worthwhile. Drop me a line to tell me how I might improve them.
Ascent of Mount Carmel IV
Read pages141-147 (chapters 11-12). In these chapters St. John of the Cross continues some of themes touched upon in earlier chapters. In addition, he introduces some new themes. Pay careful attention to Chapter titles and examples from scripture.
Chapter 11
What does John propose to address in this chapter? Why is that significant for the reader?(1-2) Are all appetites equally damaging to the goal of union with God? If not which appetites are more to be avoided? Why?
(3) Read the second paragraph very carefully. What is John saying here and why is it important? What is the difference between an advertent imperfection and one that is inadvertent?
(4) List some examples of habitual imperfections according to John. Take a few minutes and pray that the Holy Spirit open your eyes and heart to habitual imperfections that assail you. Note these for future reference, prayer, and spiritual direction.
What do the examples of bird and the remora show us?
(5) Note particularly the second paragraph. What are the chief dangers of indulging "one small imperfection?"
(6-8) What does John use the examples from Judges and Joshua to show. How might his understandings help you to take better advantage of the richness of Scriptures?
Chapter 12
(1-3) Can any appetite produce the two sorts of evils we studied last time?(5) What does John use the passage from Apocalypse to illustrate?
(6) How is this passage an important caution against scruples? To what problems might scruples give rise.
Untitled--part of a sequence
Is it okay to wonder what You were
about when You took her away from us?
Can we ask why? It's better than crying
and finding no end of fault with doctors
who could not keep her here. And look how much
good there is still, maybe by her constant
prayers. As much as I sorrow that she
cannot see the son You won for me; still
she can see, the Son you won for us all.
But I cannot honestly say that I
don't want her back to be a grandmother
just for a while, just a moment--just now.© 2003 Steven Riddle
Modern Coffee House--Written In Situ
I see myself in the humid
smoky dark of a 1950s coffeehouse
with a demitasse on a cracked
plate that no chinamaker
would ever call a saucer,
sipping the dusky brew and
listening with maybe a gentle
tap of pen on paper as the poet
beats out wave after wave
of anguish, disgust, anger.
Flash to reality--and I'm
here at McDonald's with a mess
of undigestable, most half-eaten
ends and fringes of things,
picking up more trash than any one
human could produce (but much less
than the average child's quota)
waiting for my boy to go down
the pink slide. And you know,
the thought of the one is so much better,
but the reality of the pink slide--unbeatable.© 2003 Steven Riddle
On Your Birthday
I remember
and I know your
other sons miss
you like an arm
or an eye and
wish you were here
with our sons and
our families.
It's okay, you're
there where all is
made better by
your prayers. So--
pray for us O
mama, keep us
in mind as you
glory in His
presence. We'll be
there soon enough.
We all love you.
© 2003 Steven Riddle
Becoming Jesus--Some Words from Our Sponsor
Well, not really, but Pope St. Leo the Great would be a good patron. From the Office of Readings:
But it is not only the martyrs who share in his passion by their glorious courage: the same is true, by faith, of all who are born again in baptism. That is why we are able to celebrate the Lord's paschal sacrifice with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. The leaven of our former malice is thrown out, and a new creature is filled and inebriated with the Lord Himself. For the effect of our sharing in the body and blood of Christ is to change us into what we receive. As we have died with Him, and have been buried and raised to life with Him, so we bear Him within us, both in body and in spirit, in everything we do.
Emphasis added. You all know it, but it never hurts to be reminded. Our local pastor made a similar remark, "After taking communion, we become the tabernacle of the Lord." Not as strong, but an important reminder.
When the Archives Are Working Again
Come, join our discussion at Catholic Bookshelf on Chaos and Cosmos. Yes, it's a continuation of much that has been said here, but when the themes are eternal, they are worth visiting again and again.
For the moment go here and scroll down to the Dylan's article about Madeleine L'Engle, Alicia's followup note, and "Chaos and Cosmos." It is only through intelligent discussion and interaction that proper articulation of the Truth is achieved.
Doubting Thomas
Mark at Minute Particulars makes a point I cannot help but address regarding the culpability of Doubting Thomas.
Thomas's doubt is not a problem because he wishes to see, to have evidence he can touch; this is proper and a fully human desire. But he still doubts even after he has been told by those whom he knows and ought to believe. While he may not have known that his fellow apostles had received the Holy Spirit,And when [Jesus] had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."I think we can know that their account to him must have been told with integrity and was believable within the context of their relationships. Hence the problem with Thomas's doubt.
But I must disagree. Several "reliable" bishops tell me about apparitions at Mudjegorje (I cannot seem to spell it right). They are relating what they saw with all due integrity and with believability due to bishops--must I believe? Rather, I believe I must owe prudence the courtesy of following my own understanding when it comes to extraordinary events. It would be imprudent of me to accept the opinion of others regarding someone being raised from the dead. Yes--I had witnessed it before, but that was not auto-resurrection, but someone I regarded as miraculous with wonderful healing powers raising someone else. However, can the dead raise the dead? Isn't it far more likely that sick at heart as they are they have invented these meetings? They imagined that they saw Him?
No, I see no culpability in following reason--the culpability would have resulted if Thomas, following reason to its logical extreme (as many moderns tend to do) said to Jesus--"I still don't believe because this has no scientific plausibility--therefore it did not happen."
Apropos of Nothing that Will Make Sense to Anyone
I'm annoyed. And the reason is that one of hoi polloi with a huge anti-catholic chip on his bestselling shoulder doesn't know enough to know that Alexander Pope IS A CATHOLIC. You can research everything else in the world--you can get this right too! The line should have read, "It didn't say a ROMAN pope!" Thank you, venting over.
Revelation in Easter
As promised, now is later, and I would like to reflect for a while on the question of why the Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse of John) during Easter Season.
The linking of this book and the Easter Season seems strongly to indicate the Church's view of the book and how the Church wishes us to view the book. Now, early on John himself calls it a book of prophesy--but by that, he may not mean what many misinterpret the word "prophecy" to mean. Prophecy is not simply a prediction about what may happen in the future, although there are elements of that in it--prophecy is always God calling to His people. Much of prophecy is a potent love song, accepted by the people of the time of writing as one thing, and taken by people of a later age as something else. What, for example is to be made of the book of Jonah if one reads the prophet merely as a predictor of the future. Jonah's announcement to the people of Nineveh is very nearly beside the point of the story. What do we learn from this prophetic book? God's abiding love of His people.
Okay, then what is one to make of Revelation as Prophecy. It is prophetic in that it is God speaking through John to each of us in our time of turmoil. If we derive comfort from constructing elaborate schema of interpretation, I suppose that is fine; however, John is speaking to the people of the Church of his time--a time of tremendous hardship and persecution. He, himself, is speaking from exile in Patmos and the constant message of Revelation is patience, endurance, and cleaving to the Way of Jesus Christ. It is the message of the risen savior who will overcome all obstacles and ultimately bring us all to the New Jerusalem.
The conjunction of Revelation and the Easter season speaks very effectively of the comfort and joy we are to derive from the presence of the risen Lord. Revelation is filled with frightening, perhaps even horrifying images--and yet the end result is this remarkable passage:
Revelation 22 1 Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of its street. On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. 3 Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.
And later we will hear the great song, "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' Let all who hear say, 'Come.' Let him who is thirsty come taste the water of life without price." THAT is the message we should take away from Revelation, whatever else we make of it.
Inspired by the Holy Father, I type these much-less-worthy works. But we all work in our own ways.
Ten Views from a Summer Boat
Moonlight on the stream's
inky surface, whitewash waves
ripple toward the shore.Mosquito harbor
the wooden boat
alone, broken ripplesThe slap, slap,
slap waves
that have not
found their wayWhere are you
in the flickering
night? Where now?Rope trailing
weeds in water,
underneath all.Even at night
even on water
shadows of shadows
whiteness worn to silver.Wave
water and wood,
the gentle slip of oars.
Where are we?Candle-gathered unknown
spirits, paper boats
from chrysanthemum night
suddenly spring dive
in the memory of the river.It is said the poet drunk
reached out to embrace the moon
and found himself
wed to darkness
as how could he not?Water washes reeds in still
slow eddies
In pools so quiet they
have the
memory of ages, water so deep
it bleeds.© 2003 Steven Riddle
Ruth Burrows
Sr. Ruth Burrows is a staple of the formation of OCDS members. However, Mark of Minute Particulars stumbled upon some reflections, and that sent me scurrying to see what else might be available. Here's a site with a number of articles that I have not yet had a chance to review, but which may be of interest to some. Thanks to Mark for the reminder of one visited and relished in the past, but somehow forgotten.
[Site requires a registation, but title suggests it may be worth it]
The Office of Readings
Every year I note this to myself, but as this is the first year of blogging, I'll note it to all of you as well. Have you noticed in the Office of Readings that through the Octave of Easter we read the magnificent First Letter of Peter and as soon as we enter the second week of Easter we start reading the book of Revelation? And this will continue until the sixth Sunday of Easter at which time we'll be reading the first letter of John. What is the meaning of this cycle of reading. More, what does this positioning of the cycle of reading say about the Church's vision of the book of Revelation?
If more Catholics would do the office of readings, we would have fewer of them speculating along the lines of Left Behind because they would understand the nature and intent of the book. There is deep significance to the fact that the church gives us this book to read during the period of celebration of the resurrection. We need to pay attention.
More on this somewhat later.
Scandal Mongering
Ron at The 7 Habitus echoes a frequent lament of some of us, that unless you write and explore things positively scandalous, it is hard to get comments, and sans comments it is often difficult to know where to go.
Blogging is much like conversation--many see it as a journalistic medium--and it may be to some extent, but the real excitement comes where there are comment boxes, feedback, and notes of interest at a single place. I don't mind reading the ocassional blog with no comments--but I'm often frustrated--possibly because I am very lazy when it comes to this medium, that there is no way to communicate directly. I have to go off-line to e-mail to make a comment or bring it back here. Thus, I infrequently even try to comment at such places. Each person has their own reasons for the set-up they choose. For example, in the Carmelite Chapel, I have deliberately chosen not to have comments, as a chapel should be silent except for the prayers rising to God. On the other hand, both of the other blogs have comments. I'm surprised at how few comments the bookshelf engenders, leading me to wonder if anyone visits--but I didn't put in a site meter because it little matters--the conversation is important enough to continue even in the paucity of significant feedback.
One thing I noted to Ron is that most of us who would comment run our own blogs and commenting elsewhere detracts from the time we can spend in our own pursuits, trying to flesh out our blogs. And, as far as it goes, that is true. But there are other factors at work that I sometimes wonder about. When people comment on deeply spiritual things, no one seems to have much to say. Whereas when they comment on an intellectual abstraction, there seems to be no end of comment. Now, that makes a certain amount of sense as well--it is easy to argue intellectual things. In the face of spiritual revelation, what is there to say? And yet. . .isn't that exactly the kind of thing we want to encourage? Isn't it where we get insight and help in matters that are most important to us? Isn't it where we should be doing the most encouraging? Should the Fr. Keyes's and the Ms. Knapp's of the world be getting a greater share of support than those who scour the newspapers for things anyone can read for themselves?
I don't know. I can't figure it out--and I suppose it little matters, although it does exercise me every now and again.
The Splendid and Solemn Magnificence of the Holy Father's Poetry
You can read excerpts from The Roman Triptych here. As with all of his writing, the Holy Father blesses us with his poetry. What is particularly moving and noticeable about this work is that it was originally written in Polish, and yet the translation seems so utterly free of the usual infelicities that accompany a translation.
What response is there to such beauty as is so expressly evident in lines like these:
How remarkable is Your silencein everything, in all that on every side
unveils the created world around us ...
all that, like the undulating wood,
runs down every slope ...
all that is carried away by the stream's
silvery cascade,
rhythmically falling from the mountain,
carried by its own current—carried where?
The wooded slope and the stream make a reappearance throughout this section of the triptych--perhaps through the whole thing, I've not yet had the opportunity to buy the whole work. That same magnificent, solemn echo occurs in other passages
The running stream cannot marvel, and silently the woods slope down, following the rhythm of the stream— but man can marvel! The threshold which the world crosses in him is the threshold of wonderment. (Once, this very wonder was called "Adam").He was alone in his wonder,
among creatures incapable of wonder—
for them it is enough to exist and go their way.
Man went his way with them,
filled with wonder!
But being amazed, he always emerged
from the tide that carried him,
I have not been an ardent fan of the Holy Father's poetry. I've liked it on and off. But there is something in the words here, some spirit captured that in the very reading ennobles the reader. It presents us with things always seen and never really grasped, with realities that we choose not to embrace because we choose not to look. All of nature crosses a threshold in man. If that is not an astonishing thought then poetry is wasted. And perhaps many of us have lost that sense of wonder, that sense of the presence of God just beneath the surface of all. Each day we walk in God and through God and with God. Like sunshine, He is all about us and ignored, through His power we see--in Him we live and move and have our being. Those words might become hollow if we don't pause to hear them and make them real. Do we acknowledge every day that we move in Him, and by Him we are moved? Do we really live in Him? Is there any live outside of Him? And what does it mean to have our being?
Poetry leaves some scratching their heads--the words seem to force a disconnect--but what is probably more proper is that they force the proper connect. Without poetry, the Divine remains hidden--ever present, but unattainable because only metaphor and simile can begin to touch the Face of Being.
If you get a chance to do so, read the Holy Father's book of poetry. I've a sneaking suspicion that it will be a rich source of reflection, affirmation, and support. It convinces me more than any other work, that the Holy Father has a deep, abiding, and thorough-going connection to God. He has for some time. And this poetry seems to suggest that he is experiencing his own dark night. Remember every day to send him your love in prayer. Send a heart with wings unto the throne of God so that He might shower it back down upon His precious, wonderful, obedient, faithful servant.
Shalom to all. He is Risen indeed! We do not need to touch the wounds to feel the beating of His heart in our lives.