In the darkness the eyes of the heart need only God

"... that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your heart having been enlightened for you to know what is the hope of His calling and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints..." (Eph. 1:17-18)

When my husband began remodeling our house some twenty years ago he planned the roof over the upstairs hallway to hold a skylight. Last month he finally put it in and I was more than happy that the daylight I loved now streamed in to light up the house. It was well worth the wait.

Then something unexpected happened. I developed a bacterial infection of the cornea. While the infection itself caused extreme discomfort, exposure to any light whatsoever sent shards of blinding pain through my eye. I was forced to curtail Christmas shopping and even with sunglasses on, had to keep my eye closed in restaurants or church and needed someone to guide me when walking outside.

The first morning of the infection I opened my bedroom door to the brightness from the skylight and, with audible moans and groans, quickly retreated into the darkness of my room. Light was now the enemy of my eyes, and for the next two weeks I craved the relief that only darkness could bring - a welcomed "silence for the eyes."

Sometimes it is like that for our hearts and minds and spirits, as well. While we may be inclined to fear the darkness, often it is just what we need as a period of relief from the rigors of our spiritual journey.

In Biblical times the heart, not the mind, was considered the seat of all feeling and understanding, and St. Paul even uses a beautiful phrase - "the eyes of the heart" - to describe that part of us which seeks enlightenment. This phrase reflects a literal translation from the Greek, but the thought remains that the "eyes of the heart" often experience a need for darkness, stillness and silence.

Silence is recognized in religious traditions worldwide as a tool for spiritual growth, and times of silent repose were, no doubt, a great part of the spiritual journey of a great holy man and advocate of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi. He wrote: "Silence is a great help to a seeker after truth. In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth, and the soul requires inward restfulness to attain its full height."

The unfolding of our souls is a creative process which needs its "downtime." We only need enter these periods of darkness and silence with hope and an expectant spirit because God is the artist and crafter of all we are and God knows what is needed for our growth. God will guide us through these periods of darkness until the eyes of our hearts are ready to see the light again.

And as an artist himself (albeit with nails and wood and spackle), my husband will be the first to acknowledge that you can't rush a masterpiece.

Which is why I expect his next masterpiece - the skylight in the kitchen - to be completed in about the year 2022.

_____________________________________

Mary Morrell is the author of Angels in High Top Sneakers from Loyola Press

Contact

Diocese of Metuchen
http://diometuchen.org NJ, US
Mary Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religious Education, 732 562-1990

Email

mmorrell@diometuchen.org

Keywords

God

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