39. Poem 5: Love's Communion

 

If the soul is vigilant
and withdraws from all distraction
and abandons its own will
then the spirit of God invades it
and it can be reborn
because it is free to do so.
Abba Cronius

 

I don't know about you, but even as a retired person, I find life still is very full and busy. And while I value the importance of maintaining an intentional time for reflection and meditation each day, other things soon crowd in if I let them.  I need time for focused reflection if I want to grow my spiritual practice. This includes my awareness of the Divine Presence within me and in all creation, including the people I meet. 

It is also something which the 3rd century Desert monk was referring to in the quotation above. In his way, Abba Cronius was echoing the Gospel words of Jesus, that also inspired the following 'Love Song of a Jewish Carpenter':

Poem 5: Love's Communion

When you desire to speak with Love,
simply withdraw into the stillness of your heart and say:
'O Love,
you created me, and sustain me
and hold my life in your hands:
make yourself known!' (1)

However, you can never own Love.
Nor can you ever possess her.
It is so difficult
for those who have a lot of possessions
to understand this.
In fact, it is easier for a camel
to squeeze through the eye of a needle
than for someone who is possessed by wealth
to find Love.
For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.(2)

There was once a person
who was very wealthy.
He was at a loss to know
what he should do with his riches.
'I know', he said,
'I shall invest my money
so that I will be even richer,
then I will have everything I need.'
He was thinking these thoughts in his heart,
but that very night he died.(3)

If you, then, try to make your life secure
you will end up losing everything.
But if you are prepared
to invest your life in Love,
you will preserve it
and even more, will be given to you!(4)

Love has no need to have somewhere
to lay her head.
For it rests already upon your heart.
So, when you pray,
you do not need to use many words.
Simply say:
' Love! Provide each day
whatever is needed
to sustain me'.(5)

Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga
May you find peace and good will on your journey.

Phil

____________

1. Matthew 6:6; Luke 11:2
2. Mark 10:23,25; Thomas 47; Matthew 6:21
3.Thomas 63
4.Luke 17:33; Luke 8:18
5.Matthew 8:20; Matthew 6:11