“Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.
(Hosea 2:14)
The soul is made for the ‘Living Water’, that which allows our souls to flourish and grow. Yet the desert is also a reality that dwells within each of us. A place of dryness, thirst, listlessness and a feeling of not knowing where one is moving towards, for in the desert there are no well worn roads. It is there that we ‘wait on the Lord’ in faith. Where we seek the ‘Living Waters’ out of love and longing and not just simply to have our prayers heard, or to give us spiritual consolation; we learn that God gives and takes, draws close and then pulls back…..yet that is an illusion.
God is always yes, there is never change, for it is we who change, grow or pull back. In the desert we learn trust; we also over a period of time learn that the living water is just below the surface nourishing us in all that we need. Our self love and self seeking die in the desert and what is left is our longing for the embrace of the living God.
Even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
(Psalm 139:12)
It is there
There is often joy all around us
yet so much is taken for granted until it is gone,
to walk,
work,
breathing easy,
the ability to communicate without struggle,
friends,
family,
so many thing in the everyday;
food and drink,
the sun overhead with it warmth,
or dark clouds
with the promise of rain,
smiles,
flowers and birds,
yes just the everyday things we see and experience often,
are sources of joy,
also of deep thanksgiving for the gift of life,
all it takes is a pause,
reflection,
and yes prayer made in a thankful spirit.
And
When these things are taken away
and suffering comes,
we can still be thankful for so many things,
for existence,
the ability to think and perceive,
most importantly
to love
and
to be loved in return,
perhaps the most precious gift of all
can be overlooked
forgotten
taken for granted,
yes,
until gone
for love lost can be the most painful of all experiences.
Life is short,
often filled with pain,
yet
there is always joy,
it is like gold that one at times has to dig for
to be able to see with the eyes of a child the wonder of it all,
that all the darkness,
suffering and pain cannot touch,
for gifts
are always given out of love.
So yes,
life is hard and difficult,
yet
joy can be found deep within,
for God exist
and we are made in the image and likeness of,
perhaps the most wonderful,
joy filled
gift of all,
even if it is not always felt;
joy is there.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
