3 poems by st. john

[desmond dillon]

                                           

What is Grace?

    

'What is grace?' I asked God.

and He said 'All that happens.'

I looked perplexed and He added,

'Could not lovers say that every moment in their Beloveds arms was grace?

Existence is my arms,

but I can understand how one would turn away from me

until the heart has wisdom.'

       

*

             

Arrogance

     

The weight arrogance is such

that no bird could fly carrying it.

     

And the man who feels superior to others 

that man cannot dance,

         

the real dance is when the soul takes God

into its arms

and you both fall onto your knees in gratitude,

a blessed gratitude for life.

   

*

   

Developing  

      

Once i said to God, 'How do you teach us?'

He replied, 'If you were playing chess with one who

had infinite power and infinite knowledge

and wanted to make you

a master of the game,

   

where would all the chess pieces be at every moment?

   

Indeed, not only where he wanted them

but where all were best for your

development:     

   

and that is every situation

of one's life.'

   

*

   

St. John of the Cross

   

  

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