I’ve wanted for a long time to write a series of reflections on the poetry of Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Nelly Sachs. That will have to wait for another time, but this week’s poem comes from a sequence of hers called “In the Habitations of Death”, where imagery of death, dust, longing and encounteringContinue reading “40 Days of Mercy Week 5: Mercy out of dust”
Tag Archives: Anselm Kiefer
Lie down in chaos
He gives His beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2) The bed decked in a week’s laundry, and a million miniscule things left undone, Sleep still says, “Rest your weary head. The day is long, tomorrow longer, and after that who knows. For now, this minute, lie down. In chaos, be still.” So I am still, and theContinue reading “Lie down in chaos”
My Examen
Give me only your love and grace. That is enough for me. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Suscipe Resolution is void. The more I look inward, the more each motive, each spirit I discern becomes a snarl, a defiant reminder that my best attempts are, at best, no good. Though I ask my conscience to justifyContinue reading “My Examen”
Cosmology (II)
If it would still be meaningful to say, There are an infinite number of universes – if their profound otherness did not embarrass even the language of Being itself…if something we could discern and recognise as intelligent life were to occur in certain of these other realities, might we not learn that our notions ofContinue reading “Cosmology (II)”
Quo Vadis?
We could not see the top of this wall – but now that we’ve scaled it, what lies before? A dream of tomorrow? A promise of now? The moment is furrowed on destiny’s brow. No sureness of footing, yet held for the fall; the wall is beneath us – what now?
20 Contemplations #19: Sleep, Wake
I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking… (Song of Solomon 5:2a) The world sleeps, but still some wise men gaze out unto the beckoning sky, and some still wake to hear the door pounding, night humm- ing in active grace of years. No doubt, the gentleness of the stars willContinue reading “20 Contemplations #19: Sleep, Wake”
20 Contemplations #11: Communion
…Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:19) I hold You; I bore You. Yet You cannot be held by me. The story told from first honours me but exalts You more: a dot at the start, impossibly small, yet burst- ing with life. How could this all be? IContinue reading “20 Contemplations #11: Communion”
20 Contemplations #10: Joy
Delight the Spirit feels in constant burst: Delight in Three, delight in all that’s good. And as the Son descends, is born, is God, Delight the Spirit feels at last, at first. Joy of Spirit fractures Earth’s rehearsed Ways of being happy. Earth gives a nod To God, then walks the path that Adam trod.Continue reading “20 Contemplations #10: Joy”
20 Contemplations #6: At Creation
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3) First birdsong and flight; new heavens groaning; These things we cannot see. They precede Sight, consciousness. All we know, he exceeds: The Face behind the flame and the foaming. Nothing made without Him: He moves across AstronomyContinue reading “20 Contemplations #6: At Creation”
The Consolations of Writing 