literature

Sky-light

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stargirl2791's avatar
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Literature Text

I am a fragile
window,
a centimeter of dust
blown into the sea
and swallowed by the earth
and forged in the Hearth
of God.

I am atoms
born in the lightning bugs
of the universe,
the same being
as the ground beneath me
and the space in my lungs.

I am not
the burning of halogen,
the incandescence
of tortured tungsten
that is an expressway for energy
until it dies.

I am a skylight,
born not to generate my own shadow,
but to be a channel
for the Fire that created me.

I am made to be clear
pure
a conduit
of glowing love.

I am built
from the
ground
up
to let the vision of the highest
shine through me.

I am not meant
to try to outshine the Sun;
I am meant
to be the moon
and reflect the Glory
to all of the world.
written at a retreat for a group that i joined at my grad school, the Franciscan Earth Corps. it links the Catholic spirituality (specifically that lived by the followers of Saint Francis) with the universal call to respect and care for the earth, and to go out and actively serve the community and the planet (as our namesake said, "to preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words").

this poem came about during a talk by one of our chapter's leaders on care for creation, and what that means from a Franciscan perspective, as well as practical and concrete ways to implement those spiritual views into our lives.  one of the points covered was St. Francis' humbleness, and how "the cycle of Good News" involves accepting ourselves and realizing that we are good, instead of hating ourselves.

i had a bone to pick with the idea at first, because, to me, proclaiming that you're good seems a little pompous.  but as i questioned her about it, it occurred to me that our inner light is not our own... that we can still be bright, and successful, and spiritual, and holy, and all of those things, but it is not about us.  we can still be "good" but something will be missing in the competition to be the best or the brightest.  we are called to be the conduits, not the generators...

selfless instead of "me, me me!"

gracious to the Creator and to all who have helped us to get to wherever we are in life or wherever we're going instead of prideful for the one finishing touch that makes something "our own."

i hope that my prattling made sense (as amazing as the past 24 hours were, i'm exhausted and therefore not 100% coherent) or that at least you can take a tiny something away from this.

in short, the command to be a Skylight and not a spotlight is an urging to be bright, to be a channel for love, and to recognize that you are good because you were made by the Divine Good.  we are inherently holy and beautiful and amazing, and to realize this is to acknowledge our Sublime beginnings.  only then can we truly be a window to God and his omnipresent love.
© 2013 - 2024 stargirl2791
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Shadoweddancer's avatar
I loved this, it really speaks to me.  My given name means the moon, and I've always seen myself as trying my best to reflect the light of the Son.  :hug: