1. One dark night,
fired with love's urgent longings
- ah, the sheer grace!
- I went out unseen,
my house being now all stilled.
2. In darkness, and secure,
by the secret ladder, disguised,
- ah, the sheer grace!
- in darkness and concealment,
my house being now all stilled.
3. On that glad night,
in secret, for no one saw me,
nor did I look at anything,
with no other light or guide
than the one that burned in my heart.
4. This guided me
more surely than the light of noon
to where he was awaiting me
- him I knew so well -
there in a place where no one appeared.
5. O guiding night!
O night more lovely than the dawn!
O night that has united
the Lover with his beloved,
transforming the beloved in her Lover.
6. Upon my flowering breast
which I kept wholly for him alone,
there he lay sleeping,
and I caressing him
there in a breeze from the fanning cedars.
7. When the breeze blew from the turret,
as I parted his hair,
it wounded my neck
with its gentle hand,
suspending all my senses.
8. I abandoned and forgot myself,
laying my face on my Beloved;
all things ceased; I went out from myself,
leaving my cares
forgotten among the lilies.
The Complete Works of Saint John of the Cross
Volume I
Burns Oates & Washbourne LTD
London - 1933
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
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No wonder he is regarded as one of the greatest mystics and greatest of Spanish poets. Thank you for posting this, bl. I had not read it in a while.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gabrielle.
ReplyDeletePlease note the date and time that I entered this. I had entered into a Dark Night in my soul last night and spent quite some time in prayers, anguish and tears.
A true miracle happened for me at precisely that exact moment in Rome, although I was not aware of it until just moments ago.
I hope to be able to share my experience more fully as soon as I hear back from Rome.
The Lord give you peace!
Thank you, Marie Cecile. One thing about Purgation and that is there's light at the end of the tunnel...lol
ReplyDeleteGod has given me an abrubt about face (or is it a "column left") regarding my future...now completely uncertain but for one thing: He is by my side, holding my hand, and leading me there.
I rather liken it to the Alfred E. Newman School of Theology: "What, me worry?"
I hope you are alright, brother lesser. I'm sorry too that you were going through that anguish, and are facing uncertainty about your future. Please let us know, when the time seems right, about this miracle, and Rome.
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ReplyDeleteThere have been times that I too saw the light at the end of the tunnel and this turned out to be a train. But the Lord sometimes uses a locomotive to awaken us from our sleep and to put us on track....
ReplyDeleteWith much prayer and with the help of God's grace (without which we can do nothing) we will eventually gain in wisdom and understanding.
Like I always say, even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut.
God love you all!
Paul Anthony Melanson