Merton: The bottom dropping out of our souls

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From Thomas Merton:

When psalms surpise me with their music
And antiphons turn to rum
The Spirit sings: the bottom drops out of my soul
And from the center of my cellar, Love,
louder than thunder,
Opens a heaven of naked air.

I send Love's name into the world with wings
And songs grow up around me like a jungle.
Choirs of all creatures sing the tunes
Your Spirit played in Eden.

Zebras and antelopes and birds of paradise
Shine on the face of the abyss
And I am drunk with the great wilderness
of the sixth day of Genesis.

Antiphon
The most wonderful moment of the day is that when creation in its innocence asks permission to "be" once again, as it did on the first morning that ever was.


As we worship God this morning, may the bottom drop out of our souls, and may we, too, send Love's name into all the world!

Comments

Gannet Girl said…
Ahhhh.....like sunrise over the ocean. Thank you for this.
May 18, 2008 at 6:29 AM
Jan said…
Thank you. A good way to begin the week. A friend tells me to pray to be "uncomfortable." Wow--pray to have the bottom drop out of my soul! That's what I need. Thanks, Katherine. (But how about after MJ graduates in two weeks??)
May 19, 2008 at 11:39 AM
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