Contemplative Haven

“…the best reason for loving peace is not that war is horrible.  A nation that loves peace because war is degrading, disgusting, unpleasant, brutalizing, filthy, etc. will get in plenty of trouble.  No matter how horrible anything is there has to be a better reason, than its horribleness, for our hating it.”

[Sept. 5, 1941. "Run to the Mountain. The Journals of Thomas Merton. Volume I, 1939-1941]

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Dedicated to our Canadian troops in Afghanistan, and those who are serving elsewhere in the world.  May the Lord protect you:

Direct to YouTube for this video is here.

I would like to honour all of our veterans today with the prayer that Jesus Himself gave us.  The website of St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church in Broomall, Pennsylvania has a wonderful page where you can find The Lord’s Prayer (in both written and spoken formats) in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, Ethiopian, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Polish, Spanish and Thai.
                                               
And here are the Irish Mystics, with “Pater Noster” in English, Latin and Gaelic: 

Direct to YouTube for this video is HERE.

While doing some reading on the Internet just prior to the feastday of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), I came across these lines, which were discovered shortly after World War II, written on a cellar wall in which Jews had been hiding:  “I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining.  And I believe in love, even when there’s no one there.  And I believe in God, even when God is silent.” 

This powerful message of hope and courage was used as the basis for the song, “Inscription of Hope”, which you can hear performed by the Northwest Girlchoir, on their CD by the same name.  Three of the songs on the CD were also performed in the musical memorial, “I Never Saw Another Butterfly”, dedicated to the 15,000 children who passed through the town of Teresienstadt on their way to Auschwitz. 

I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining.
And I believe in love
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God
even when God is silent.
I believe through any trial
there is always a way.
But sometimes in this suffering
and hopeless despair
My heart cries for shelter
to know someone’s there.
But a voice rises within me saying,
‘hold on my child
I’ll give you strength, I’ll give you hope
Just stay a little while.’
I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining.
And I believe in love
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God
even when God is silent.
I believe through any trial
there is always a way.
May there someday be sunshine,
May there someday be happiness,
May there someday be love,
May there someday be peace.

There are days when even the Haven isn’t a safe place to be.  Today is one of those days.

It seems as if one child barely gets home, when another has to leave.

Courage, my friend.  Courage.

Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan, performing in 1976)

Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Avril Lavigne, performing in 2003)

No, the times, they aren’t a’changing.  But they will:

“For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd.  He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water.  And God will wipe away all their tears.” [Revelation 7:17] 

“He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  For the old world and its evils are gone forever.” [Revelation 21:4]

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“Wisemen” (by Kate & Anna McGarrigle)

Direct to YouTube for this video is here.

In the desert, where the stars are bright
And constellations rule your life
Long ago, three kings set out
To follow a peculiar light
What did they see up in the sky?
That made them take leave of their land
And carry gifts on camelback
Over hills of endless sand
Through cloudless days and cloudless nights
The bells upon the camel ring
And the wind play’n on ribs of sand
Must be the voices of angels singing
Gold to crown his loftiness
Myrrh for the man upon his death
Frankincense for godliness
Black smoke hides the stars tonight
And mines explode in golden sand
Underground black gold does flow
In Afghan fields the poppies grow
Gold to crown his loftiness
Myrrh for the man upon his death
Frankincense for godliness.

From Psalm 71 (72):

In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth’s bounds.