Aoradh meditations- Psalm 148, Tuesday…

Delayed this time by a power cut! The storm last night has blown trees down on the power lines, leaving Bute and Cowal without power for half of today. A little reminder of how vulnerable we are to a little weather.

At work- no computers, no phones, no mobile telephones (masts down too.) If you are vulnerable, no stair lifts, no e-care, no anti-pressure beds, no hot food, no heating. Scary really, just how dependent we are on something so artificial. Well done Dave and the boys for getting it back on in record time…

But back to the matter in hand- Psalm 148, the wonder of it all…

Look carefully at this picture. At first all black- but when you look again…

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, 
for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever— 
he issued a decree that will never pass away.

 

Light waves falling

.

Some blazing hot

The noon we circle round

Some a warm reflection

Smiling in the night sky

Some a tender starlight flicker

Almost unnoticed

.

All of it made-

Not manufactured

Crafted-

Not mass produced

.

Fractals of the infinite

Particles of the Divine

Making a prism of my soul

Starlit darkness…

The stars are out.

And Michaela reminded me of a discussion we had a few years ago about the mystery of God. It stemmed from me quoting Gregory of Nyssa, who apparently said something like this-

The move towards God is a journey into Holy darkness.

It really resonated with me- it spoke of the mystery of God, and the presence that we often feel in open spaces. It also spoke to me of a process of unknowing that I was experiencing at the time- a loosening of absolutes and a discovery of faith that is no longer built from stones, but is made up of reflected flecks of light.

The first collection of writing I put together was called ‘Blue Dark‘ because of old Gregory… and because of a lovely poem by our friend Susan.

At the time of our discussion, some of my friends (and Michaela) did not get it. God is LIGHT not darkness they said. Darkness is about fear and loneliness…

Then Michaela had this encounter with starlight.

And, unusually for her, wrote a lovely poem. I thought it time to reproduce it here, along with some photo’s taken this evening…

Starlit darkness

In the darkness
Is a childhood fear
Safe from one streetlight
To the next
Fear locked away
Till I am again
Out alone
No streetlights to rely on

In the darkness
Is no hope
No mystery
At best nothingness
At worst a nightmare
Waiting to happen

But then you talk
Of the starlit darkness
And I remember for a moment
The fear
The quick steps up our hill
Only to stop halfway
Breath taken by the beauty
Eyes lifted heavenward
Thankful for the big sky
Eyes searching something familiar
But yet awesome

No more fear
Only wonder
At the beauty of the darkness
That brings out the stars.

Michaela Goan
December 2007