I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon youT.S. Eliot Four Quartets
Which shall be the darkness of God.
On this day we reflect on what it means for us to recognize the true presence of the darkness of Good Friday. So often in the culture of the church we want to rush ahead to the joy of the resurrection. Many Protestant churches give little more than a nod to Good Friday. However, as we seek to be fully present to our Lord, how can we seek to avoid being present in this most crucial of moments? This moment is, in fact, the exact one Christ calls us to when he bids us to take hold of our crosses in following him.
When we hold this moment just a little bit longer than we would like, we commune with the crucified God and with all of the people who are forsaken by their God in their pain, suffering, and death. As I continue to reflect and meditate on the enormity of this moment, I am reminded of the Mystery of Faith that we recite each week; Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. But in this moment, under the sheer weight of the reality of what has happened, all I can bring myself to say is; Christ has died, Christ has died, Christ has died.
Matt Addis
5 comments:
Matt, thank for this insightful and lovely reflection. Reading it deepens my experience of this special set of "holy days." And I love the T.S. Eliot quote--he is a major figure for me. I am grateful to share in this kind of spirituality with you!
--Rickey
Matt, this reflection is simple and profound. Thank you. It is useful for me.
Matt, in this thoughtful reflection you help me once again see the importance of being fully present, to not rush ahead but to "hold this moment just a little bit longer than we would like. Helping me embrace Christ's death helps me embrace his risen life.
--Blessings, Anna
This thought of holding onto something that I don't really want to actually is encouraging me in my daily practice of Centering. Sometimes it just seems like a waste of time, especially when my mind is distracted with issues at work.
Then I get a reminder, like your post, that it doesn't matter if I sense results from my Centering or not - what matters is my meager offering of faithfullness. The results are up to God.
Bill
This is a beautiful reflection, Matt. Lent continues to be my favorite season of the year.
Susan
Post a Comment