The Second Beatitude
"How blest are the sorrowful; they shall find consolation."
How blest are all tears of loss, for ultimately they set us free: tears for loss of loved ones, because we finally begin to accept that there is nothing we can do to bring them back, and more, that their gifts can now be manifest in us; tears for loss of our sense of omnipotence, because we no longer need to reject our creatureliness, to struggle to be larger than life; tears for loss of the security of our sins, because, trembling in the insecurity of possibility, we may begin new life in eucharistic engagement; tears for loss of denial, because we can stop decorating our lives with vapid illusion; tears for loss of idols, because we are freed into the vastness of the humility that is the love and glory of Christ, whom we reverence in the poor, the sick, the sinner, the ugly, the outcast, the disgusting, the useless, who are both created beings and despised parts of our selves; tears for loss of bitterness and hatred, because this loss leaves a allow field in which tears may be sown and joy reaped; tears for loss of the scales from our eyes, because we can see with clarity what our tears magnify, not only the paradox of failure and glory we are as forgiven humanity, but the Face of God, which our tears magnify as they fall unceasingly in joy.
How blest are all tears of loss, for ultimately they set us free: tears for loss of loved ones, because we finally begin to accept that there is nothing we can do to bring them back, and more, that their gifts can now be manifest in us; tears for loss of our sense of omnipotence, because we no longer need to reject our creatureliness, to struggle to be larger than life; tears for loss of the security of our sins, because, trembling in the insecurity of possibility, we may begin new life in eucharistic engagement; tears for loss of denial, because we can stop decorating our lives with vapid illusion; tears for loss of idols, because we are freed into the vastness of the humility that is the love and glory of Christ, whom we reverence in the poor, the sick, the sinner, the ugly, the outcast, the disgusting, the useless, who are both created beings and despised parts of our selves; tears for loss of bitterness and hatred, because this loss leaves a allow field in which tears may be sown and joy reaped; tears for loss of the scales from our eyes, because we can see with clarity what our tears magnify, not only the paradox of failure and glory we are as forgiven humanity, but the Face of God, which our tears magnify as they fall unceasingly in joy.
posted by Maggie Ross at 3:03 am
1 Comments:
So true! As we are honest with our losses, with our grief, there is a lightening and a true depth found that is real consolation. For so long I thought that consolation came through happy circumstances. Alas, I am learning that true peace comes from honest acknowledgement of who we are: broken, real selves who too often try to be God - but aren't. Tears of the acknowledgement of such pain does bring true lightening!
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