MUSING IN ADVENT

The philosopher, scientist and artist within us combine to lead us on throughout life on a journey of exploration, understanding and celebration of the whole of reality. It is my profound conviction that creation is a single and continuing expression of God’s overwhelming goodness and love, even though there is much to bewilder and baffle, much left unexplained.

All discovery and research are, however, an exploration into the mind of God. All knowledge is a sharing in it. But at the end of our journey and striving, when we come into the presence of the living God, every other experience, every other beauty, will seem but straw. Then we shall know as we are known, loved as we are loved, and God will be all in all. Restless minds will search no more when in the presence of absolute truth.

Be silent and still, and look also inwards, first at the darkness within, at conflicting emotions, at the emptiness of the heart, at inner wounds. We are in need of healing, or nearly always so, and in need too of being saved from what is base and ignoble. Whence come those lustful thoughts, involuntary angers, shameful jealousies. We are not as we should be.

When silent and still we can hear his voice speaking to us through our weakness and inadequacy, coaxing our minds to bring order into that inner chaos, but most of all to give forgiveness and encouragement. He speaks, too, through anguish and agony, to draw us away from what separates from him to turn to him for serenity and inner peace.

Basil Hume OSB   A Turning to God