Let There Be Light

I read a blog called 'Spiritual Travels.' It combines several things that I'm interested in: spirituality, travel and history. This week Lori, the blog's author, published a post on light using a poem by Hafiz to beautifully illustrate her subject. Light resonated in me as during the past week, I traveled to Provence and experienced light in various ways. Most notably, here in the Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque monastery where light was used to not only illuminate the monks' living quarters, but also to cast a spiritual light on elements of worship within the ancient church itself. Narrow on the outside, these many windows lining the walls on both sides of the monks' dormitory are splayed outward on the  inside to catch and diffuse as much light as possible. Hear what Hafiz says about light...

GOD POURS LIGHT

God
pours light
into every cup,
quenching darkness.

The proudly pious
stuff their cups with parchment
and critique the taste of ink

while God pours light

and the trees lift their limbs
without worry of redemption,
every blossom a chalice.

Hafiz, seduce those withered souls
with words that wet their parched lips

as light
pours like rain
into every empty cup
set adrift on the Infinite Ocean.

~ Hafiz ~

(Interpretive version of Ghazal 11 by Jose Orez

 Lori's post and Hafiz's poem remind me to open and let God pour His light into me. Even small cracks and narrow openings will flood my soul and bathe me in God's lovely light.

For more photos and information about this Cistercian monastery, click here to go to Melanged Magic.

Easter Morning

Morning dawns. The tomb is empty.

Light from dark. Hope from despair.

Joy from sorrow. New life from death
.
Resurrection.

His throne awaits at the right hand of our Father.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!



 
 
Photo: St. Etienne Cathedral, Cahors, France
March 2, 2011

God's Puzzle

This is a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle that I've been working on since the holidays. I finally got it put together last Sunday. Up until the final few pieces, I was absolutely convinced that there were pieces missing. I searched several weeks for a few of them. One I found under a couch cushion; a couple of others were tangled up in the fringe of my couch throw. I was sure some pieces were simply wrong for the available spot. In desperation I'd try them and...they'd fit. It was painful, but I was determined to complete the picture and I did. The lessons I learned from putting this puzzle together seem to be a metaphor for my spiritual life.

The most important thing I learned was that I needed the right kind of light coming from the right angle to adequately see the colors and patterns of the puzzle picture. God is my Light; it's only when I put Him in the right place that I can see my life as it should be.

Viewing this puzzle from different perspectives changed how the pieces and the empty places looked. If I sat on the couch, everything was at an angle; if I knelt beside the table, I was too close to one side and too far from the other. Only when I stood up and looked down from a broader perspective, could I place the missing pieces. Looking at life from God's perspective is necessary as well.

Lastly, I learned to try even the pieces that I was convinced wouldn't fit. God's answers to my prayers are a lot like that. I doubt that they will work; I put off trying them because I'm not sure I heard Him correctly. When I relax, remain open and let God in, His answers are always the right ones.

Who knew that putting together a jigsaw puzzle could be such a spiritual experience?