Solitude, says the moon shell. Center-down, say the Quaker saints. To the possession of the self the way is inward, says Plotinus. The cell of self-knowledge is the stall in which the pilgrim must be reborn, says St. Catherine of Siena. Voices from the past. In fact, these are pursuits and virtues of the past. But done in another way today because done consciously, aware, with eyes open. Not done as before, as part of the pattern of the time. Not done because everyone else is doing them; almost no one is doing them. Revolutionary, in fact, because almost every trend and pressure, every voice from the outside is against this new way of inward living.
[Anne Morrow Lindbergh: Gift from the Sea, pgs. 56-57]
Sometimes just being there is enough
When words would be an encumbrance upon sacred silence
That lends itself so well to contemplation.
Sometimes just being there is enough
Presenting oneself, body, mind and spirit
In an act of trust
When Love pours itself out of a ruby-rimmed cup
And all of me fills with longing.
[Taken from: The Blueness Above, by Ann Murray]
Please visit Ann at her Poetry, Prayer, and Praise blog for some excellent news.
[Edited to add: The creator of this video, Bob Carlton, posted it on his blog about a year ago, with the lyrics by Paul Simon. You can see the lyrics here. Bob Carlton's YouTube Channel is here, and he has made some really lovely videos for reflections on special liturgical days/seasons].
I fell asleep last night in conversation with Mary; conversation - well, mostly questions. I awoke to no answers, until she led me here.
So, for a little while, I don’t know for how long, I will be away at my retreat centres: here, here, and here - the Divine Architect thought of everything, including an interconnecting corridor.
"Theology is a wonderful science so long as we don't make a god of it. Because we do not know God through theology, even though the meaning of the word theo-logy is the knowledge of God. No. The only way that we know God is on our knees, our mind completely empty and put into our heart, our mouth closed. When we are like that, a mystery can slowly, slowly unfold. This requires silence, solitude and so many other things that Our Lady can teach us."
Catherine Doherty (Bogoroditza. She Who Gave Birth to God)
Thoroughly Enjoying:
"The Evidential Power of Beauty"
Thomas Dubay, S.M. and
"The Reed of God"
Caryll Houselander
