Back in the early 1980’s, during my first year at the seminary of St Mary of the Barrens in Perryville, Missouri, I experienced a week-long directed retreat. The fruits of that retreat have remained with me, ebbing and flowing in my spiritual memory, over the years; but, this particular time of year brings the experience into much clearer focus for me. I remember “accompanying” Mary on her journey (LK 1:39-45) to see her cousin, in the hill country. It was a long journey, filled with some anxiety as well as wonder and joy. There was some wandering during the journey and some uncertainty on which road to take to find Elizabeth’s house. In all this, though, there was a remarkable feeling of God with us, along the way. It was as if Mary and I were searching for clarity and direction, contemplating what we would say when we saw Elizabeth but driven forward always forward in pure excitement. In all of this experience, there was an overarching and consoling environment of “God.” God was within us and on the journey. At times we were almost unconcerned about where we would end up, because we felt safe and loved all along the way.
The other Scripture that I reflected upon during that retreat is today’s first reading in Song of Songs, (Song of Songs 2:8-14). This is theological poetry at its best, in my opinion. The passion of the God-Lover pursuing the beloved is unrelenting in its determination and single-heartedness. “Hark! my lover–here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills.” We are literally chased down by this God whose love has to MOVE – it can’t just sit still! It’s a mad and obsessive Love that wants nothing more than to engage us in delight, “gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices.” Beaconing to us in our distractions, the God-Lover is saying, look at me, I’m here, see me, let me love you, come go with me, “Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come!” More so than just wanting to be seen by the beloved, the God-Lover wants to see us in every possible way, and not just to see us, but also to hear us, to listen to us, and to affirm us. “Let me see you, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.” This is the amazing unadulterated passion that God has for us. Our God is telling us loudly and clearly “your voice is sweet and you are lovely!” Would that we could really HEAR and respond to this!!
We have St. Francis to thank for the gift of the nativity in our spiritual tradition. I believe it was the same passion that we hear in Song of Songs that Francis experienced and wanted to share with us in the nativity scene (crèche). It’s a way to imagine what seems unimaginable. Something truly great can only be found in something small and simple.
The great 14th century mystic Julian of Norwich describes how God’s preferred “throne” is our very souls. The ordinary fabric of our lives, our relationships, full of trials and sorrows, joys and laughter. It’s all around and within us. We tread it daily, yet rarely see it. Winds and clouds, sun and rain. Smiles and songs, tears and pain. Hugs and handshakes, brushes and touches. The God-Lover is an infant waiting to be held, cooing and gaze into our faces, so to mirror the sweetness and loveliness beheld.
Peace,
Thomas
