Meditation
We pause in reverence before the gift of self:
The vessel shatters, the divine spark shines through,
And our solitary self becomes a link
in Israel's golden chain.
For what we are, we are by sharing. And as we share
We move towards the light.
We pause in reverence before the mystery of a presence:
The near and far reality of God.
Not union, but communion is our aim.
And we approach the mystery
With deeds. Words lead us to the edge of action.
But it is deeds that bring us closer to the God of light.
We pause in terror before the human deed:
The cloud of annihilation, the concentrations for death,
The cruelly casual way of each to each.
But in the stillness of this hour
We find our way from darkness into light.
May we find our life so precious
That we cannot but share it with the other,
That light may shine brighter than a thousand suns,
With the presence among us of the God of light.
(from Gates of Repentance)
The vessel shatters, the divine spark shines through,
And our solitary self becomes a link
in Israel's golden chain.
For what we are, we are by sharing. And as we share
We move towards the light.
We pause in reverence before the mystery of a presence:
The near and far reality of God.
Not union, but communion is our aim.
And we approach the mystery
With deeds. Words lead us to the edge of action.
But it is deeds that bring us closer to the God of light.
We pause in terror before the human deed:
The cloud of annihilation, the concentrations for death,
The cruelly casual way of each to each.
But in the stillness of this hour
We find our way from darkness into light.
May we find our life so precious
That we cannot but share it with the other,
That light may shine brighter than a thousand suns,
With the presence among us of the God of light.
(from Gates of Repentance)