21 September 2006

I am looking forward to this discussion, co-conspirators.
(Sigmund Freud said that anyone who believes that there will be a reward in the afterlife for things done or endured in this life is psychotic. So I want to address you all as "my dear fellow psychotics." But that might confuse newcomers, don't you think?)

With that introduction, which might have something to do with this and might not (!), here is the first of the "Seven Sonnets through the Dark" -

De nocte
(of night)
“…he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead, long forgotten…”
Psalm 143

There’s a dark that illumines the darkness we are
In the subterranean chambers beyond sin,
Where subtler poisons deface, disbar,
And unravel every hard-won discipline.
Below repentance’s smoothly finished frame
Lurk nature’s will and inward contradictions
Though we’ve immolated sense in puring flame
And submitted to our cleansing benedictions.
More contrariety with God have we
Than sin which once we chose but now reject;
He is more than sinlessness and we
Cannot sublimate through force or intellect.
We must let go of us, arms cruciform,
To expose our hearts to Fire that transforms.

28 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

:-)
I have nothing to contribute to the discussion yet, because I will have to wait 'til others comment so I can see what it's about. But a few weeks ago, I very nearly asked you to put this one up!

Thursday, September 21, 2006 7:48:00 PM  
Blogger Gabrielle said...

kt, I'll be back, but I just wanted to say three things quickly:

a) Psychotic? I've been called worse, and in several languages;
b) The Dark Night at the Haven is already over (just doing that one Snippet on it for now - I really want to finish Interior Castle before the book falls apart in my hands);
c) I love the fact that there will be seven of these.

Thursday, September 21, 2006 9:49:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

Saturday, September 23, 2006 12:21:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

[ UGH--tupos.. Sorry ]

Well, it's all true, isn't it? Every line.

The more I crawl out of my quiet subterranean chamber, out of the flame-lit cell which is mine, and remains empty unless and until I am there, which is quietly ensconced in the bowel of Golgotha.. with the memory and weight of a deposed Cross above me.. the more I think one can have what one wants, can have it all. And not necessarily a bad all, but certainly a selfish all. And that comes out, doesn't it.. to mislead others. Very subtle, yes, all of it. That worries me. At least if I keep it quiet, I've harmed only myself.

He is indeed far more than sinlessness, to be able to take that over and over..and still thirst, still wait, still call.

What a battle. I'm glad He has some decent friends.

Saturday, September 23, 2006 12:29:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

:-) Didn't I just finish saying to someone that wherever you find a typo in something of mine, it means I've been honest. And just now, I see that I've even tupo'd "typo" -- two in one day? I hope that's a real good sign, lol. I'm going to let someone else do the driving today, tho', just in case I am hopelessly inept.

Saturday, September 23, 2006 12:34:00 PM  
Blogger Gabrielle said...

I see, in this beautiful sonnet, the call to go beyond the Dark Night of the Senses and journey into the Dark Night of the Spirit, beyond our detachment, beyond our ascetical practices. For even after our conversion, after our change of heart, after participating fully in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receiving its graces, there is much more. Although mortal sin, and perhaps even venial sin, are no longer the enemy, a simple state of sinlessness is not all we are called to, for what is purity without love? God is "more than sinlessness", and if we are to reflect His Image, we must participate in, we must reflect, His Divine Attributes. The ego, the false self, must die, and we must abandon ourselves to His fiery, transformative Love; "cruciform", we must enter into His Passion, participate in His Passion, and He will set our hearts on fire with His Love.

Sunday, September 24, 2006 2:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is a beautiful sonnet,indeed, Lady K.. and your comment, Gabrielle, has draped a purple robe on it with the most regal tenderness.

I want to thank you both for allowing this vision of fiery love to be peeked in at.

Sunday, September 24, 2006 3:50:00 AM  
Blogger KathrynTherese said...

Gabrielle, I couldn't have said it better myself ;-)
Just for completeness, I refer anyone interested to Abbot Joseph's comments, which he expanded upon beautifully in the Monastery newsletter: http://wordincarnate.blogspot.com/2006/06/deeper-turning.html

We must open ourselves fully to Him, open ourselves to His suffering and death, before we can be transformed.

Sunday, September 24, 2006 10:47:00 PM  
Blogger Gabrielle said...

kt, I have visited Abbot Joseph's, and read his wonderfully expanded version three times. I feel blessed to have been introduced to your blog and his, through Honora. Looking forward to more...

Monday, September 25, 2006 3:00:00 PM  
Blogger KathrynTherese said...

The most difficult part, it seems to me, is letting go - really opening ourselves fully to this Fire. This Flame does not immediately enlighten us and we cringe from pain, unless we are convinced it will be productive pain. Even then, it takes strength to surrender.

What are we surrendering? Our control. Because we really do have the power to control our destiny. This is the utterly stupefying power of free will - we can choose to say NO to Him, choose to turn away from Him eternally, choose our selves over self-gift.

May we have the strength to surrender all to Him...

Monday, September 25, 2006 10:43:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What close calls there are.. if not for TCR's Stephen Hand, we might've missed Abbot Joseph's Word Incarnate -- or I, at least, would've, for I did not believe in blogs in the same way I did not believe in message groups, but if Mr. Hand said it was worth looking into, it was. Oh my, it was indeed. :-)

My heart has occasionally been on Fire, and each time, we know it is true life, don't we? Even from the barren and killing Place of the Skull, Life is given, abundantly so.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006 11:14:00 PM  
Blogger KathrynTherese said...

I think PARTICULARLY at the Place of the Skull, life is given. Even ONLY from the Place of the Skull, life is given.

But our fallen nature finds this difficult to comprehend, and even more difficult to embrace. But Christ said he who loses his life will find it, and a seed must be buried in the ground and die to grow to its full stature, and we must take up our cross DAILY and follow Him. He was not indirect in presenting this truth to us.

The faith is full of many paradoxes that are no paradoxes at all: we must die to live, we must give ourselves to find ourselves, we must humble ourselves to be exalted, our joy is in suffering, love triumphs in the midst of hate, where sin abounds grace abounds all the more. Add your own.

And through darkness, we know light. In surrendering ourselves as slaves, we become true children of God. In admitting we cannot know, we are given wisdom.

And when we are cruciform, nailed to our cross willngly, we are truly free.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006 8:26:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

One paradox is that one is cruciform when another might never suspect it of one, where others are not allowed to see -- tho' He sees. No one is nailed most joyously-willingly, but One. It is for love of Him that we go to the Cross at all.. over and over. All the saints had fallen natures to work past, too, and we have the same helps. So we must have hope such as Colombiere's and Pio's, joy such as Francis' and Augustine's, and a daring to be ridiculed for love to the point of being called even psychotic, such as little Therese's and little Benedict Joseph Labre's, yes?

Wednesday, September 27, 2006 11:32:00 AM  
Blogger KathrynTherese said...

Yes ;-)

Wednesday, September 27, 2006 11:39:00 AM  
Blogger KathrynTherese said...

Are we ready for number 2?

Wednesday, September 27, 2006 6:59:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am. :-)

Thursday, September 28, 2006 12:01:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Be forewarned, tho' --Blogger is experiencing a lot of difficulties and publishing problems while it switches some blogs over to Beta (by request). It has managed to lose one of my blogs...

PS.. I wanna know who has called Gabrielle worse than "psychotic" --and in several languages?!

Thursday, September 28, 2006 1:31:00 AM  
Blogger Gabrielle said...

Even in English, you people often seem to be speaking a different language, but I hunger so for knowledge I don't mind asking lots of questions. Now, you both have just mentioned the Place of the Skull, which I have never heard of. What is this please? And it's another little synchronicity, for as I was searching for pictures the other day, I saw St. Teresa pictured with a skull during an ecstasy, the same with St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Bernard, I believe...why is this? Why are they portrayed with a skull nearby?

Thursday, September 28, 2006 7:50:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Golgotha" means Place of the Skull. A rock or rock-shaped place on the outskirts of town.. I know that even the Bible refers to "Calvary," but it seems to me the difference between Calvary and Golgotha is akin to the difference between San Jose and New Orleans after the flood. He was crucified in barrenness.

As for the skulls placed in hagiography, I read of it once, but forgot the why.. perhaps it signifies re-encountering man's mortality in the bright shade of the New Light.

Thursday, September 28, 2006 11:33:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Honora -- The skull traditionally represents the skull of Adam. So in icons where there is the skull at the foot of the Cross you have both Adam and Christ present--two kinds of humanity, two prototypes. He by whom death came, and he by whom life entered the world. The skull at the foot of the Cross shows the conquering of both sin and death by the work of Christ's redemtive death.

As to the location of Golgotha, or the place of the skull, the modern location touted as Golgotha by Protestant tour guides and visitors is reltively new. Sure, the place looks like a skull; however, I think the more traditional interpretation refers to Golotha as the place of Adam's skull.

All this is just off the top of my head, so please feel free to check it out and correct me if needed.

Thursday, September 28, 2006 5:50:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you, DDW--sounds about perfect!

Thursday, September 28, 2006 6:14:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, that sounds about perfect, too. :-) Thank you, Fr. Abbott.

Thursday, September 28, 2006 7:57:00 PM  
Blogger Gabrielle said...

Thank you everyone, for these explanations. I never knew Golgotha meant "Place of the Skull". You know, I only found out recently that Bethlehem means "House of Bread", and that is so significant. Also, now that I understand why the artists included skulls in their paintings, it will not strike me as morbid anymore.

Friday, September 29, 2006 12:52:00 AM  
Blogger KathrynTherese said...

This one's for you, Gabrielle:

Bethlehem is the "House of Bread"

My Jesus was born in a stable,
and that is outrageous enough,
but then He was placed in a manger -
an animals' feeding trough.
The beasts don't seem to have minded
that He rested on top of their feed,
nor could they have known that He'd later announce,
"My Flesh is Food indeed!"

Friday, September 29, 2006 9:20:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All this is just off the top of my head

Golly, what a punster I am--and I didn't even know it!

Friday, September 29, 2006 10:09:00 PM  
Blogger myosotis said...

ROFL Deacon Dan! :-D

Wednesday, October 04, 2006 4:48:00 PM  
Blogger Gabrielle said...

Well, as long as it isn't the skull ROFL, we'll be fine.

I'm going to leave quietly now, before kt turns off the comments.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006 8:18:00 PM  
Blogger KathrynTherese said...

Turn OFF the comments?!
Never!
This is waaay too much fun.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006 10:17:00 PM  

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