Yesterday I wasn’t well enough to go to Mass, so I stayed in bed for the morning, as I do most days now. I began to pray, starting with silence, just as Saint Mother Theresa always did. In the silence, I searched for God, striving fruitlessly to find him. Then today’s prayer came to me.
For several minutes I tried hard to push it away, so I could keep on striving to reach God, just as the 14th century author of “The Cloud of Unknowing” describes:
“Struggle to pierce that darkness above you; and beat on that thick cloud of unknowing with a sharp dart of longing love, and do not give up, whatever happens” (The Cloud of Unknowing; Anon).
However, the words arriving were absolutely insistent, so I began writing them down. I knew I didn’t have enough energy to work on a rhyming scheme, but that turned out not to matter, as my prayer didn’t need one.
Only when it was finished, very late last night, did I begin to understand what these verses have to teach me. Anyway, after this long introduction, here they are at last:
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28; NLT).
It’s time to stop striving:
Just dwell in God’s light,
Which is Jesus.
It’s time to stop striving:
Just wait in God’s peace,
Which is Christ.
It’s time to stop striving:
Just follow God’s way,
Which is Jesus.
It’s time to stop striving:
Just cling to God’s truth,
Which is Christ.
It’s time to stop striving:
Just share in God’s life,
Which is Jesus.
It’s time to stop striving:
Just hope in God’s grace,
Which is Christ.
It’s time to stop striving:
Just dwell in God’s Word,
Which is Jesus.
It’s time to stop striving:
Just live in God’s love,
Which is Christ.
He [God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30; RSV).