There Is This One Who Knows All Mysteries
His sanctuary, I! He rests in me -
There is the peace that one looks for and attains:
In silence, and in deepest mystery,
He's captured me: for ever I'm in chains
Ah, to your every word to cling
Calm in the faith I'm anchored to;
Adoring You, through everything
As one who only lives by You!
Beneath Your splendent Light.
O Word, by night and day
May I now - outright -
To Your great love, a prey
'Amo Christum'
Reflection:
In what areas of our lives do we look for a profound 'peace' and a genuine 'calm' in this Season of Advent? Perhaps we hold anxiety or concern about a relative, a neighbour or a friend. Maybe our workplace is not quite as it used to be, with tensions and pressures mounting. Maybe our own mental health and sense of serenity has been affected by the constant 24/7 news streams , covering ongoing conflicts, persecution and climate change. These are all areas where we might long only for solace or sanctuary.
Elizabeth of the Trinity in this third segment of the poem brings again the focus onto Jesus as the source of true comfort and transformation. It is 'He' who relates to her, ('soothes her' might be the better phrase) through a unique combination of silence, mystery, word and light. It is as if there is a constant presence flowing into Elizabeth leading her towards those inner pockets of peace and of energy.
In much of Elizabeth's writings we glimpse this sense of movement where living by the teachings and example of Jesus combines with entering deeper degrees in praise of God. We too might consider, as we approach the day marking the birth of Jesus Christ, the small steps in the 'praise' and 'adoration' of God, starting with the gentle and meaningful signals of peace that surround us. The smile, the hug, the shared cup of tea or coffee, the tenderness of mother towards child, the hopes expressed by the young, the light that can break definitively into our day and renew our 'calm' in an often challenging world.
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