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Study in Dark

Photograph by Hanna Jacobs

In the session I had with my spiritual director today, we touched on how unfathomably delicate God is weaving the tapestry of our lives. Being human it comes natural to assign huge value to our talents, abilities and our achievements. For the focus to be first and foremost on those aspects. And I want to say: “Thank you so much for all that.” But I am also deeply, deeply grateful for my darkness, my shadow as constant companion, my flawed self. To keep me in check? To prevent me from hubris? No, it is not about shaming, or taming. It is not even about perspective. It is about what I find in the dark. To discover how God works with dark. My darkness. Somehow, in the darkness, I am getting a clearer image of His being.There, even my sin becomes grace. All that I know is that it takes a God to do that.

If my devils are to leave me, I’m afraid my angels will take flight as well.

Rainer Maria Rilke


~ o ~


Today (11/03/2013) I came across this poem by Wendell Berry.


To Know The Dark

To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.



George

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