12/11/2021
On this Sunday, we light the candle of joy
MANTRA OF THE WEEK AND FOR LIFE – GOD LOVES ME – GOD TAKES DELIGHT IN ME – GOD REJOICES OVER ME WITH JOY – GOD RENEWS ME IN GOD’S LOVE – GOD SINGS JOYFULLY BECAUSE OF ME AS ONE SINGS AT FESTIVALS
I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted, and behold service was joy. Rabindranath Tagore
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. – Buddha
ODE TO JOY - JOY IS EVERYWHERE – REJOICE! REJOICE! REJOICE! FINDING JOY
We quoted Rabindranath Tagore above. His poem below, about the presence of joy everywhere inspires us to contemplate joy in all that we experience. One great way to read this poem is outside in nature. Another is to go onto You Tube and search for “Ode to Joy,” and listen to this masterpiece of Ludwig van Beethoven’s ninth symphony. Read the poem and listen to the “Ode to Joy” often – in any case, and you will feel more joyous – a far, far better thing to have this music and Tagore’s poetry recurrently play in your head than a commercial jingle you hear on the radio or TV. You might even smile more, and reflect the words of that wonderful Buddhist, Thich Nhat Hanh: “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” We also include Miriam’s joyous Magnificat poem below.
And Joy is Everywhere;
It is in the Earth's green covering of grass;
In the blue serenity of the Sky;
In the reckless exuberance of Spring;
In the severe abstinence of gray Winter;
In the Living flesh that animates our bodily frame;
In the perfect poise of the Human figure, noble and upright;
In Living;
In the exercise of all our powers;
In the acquisition of Knowledge;
in fighting evils…
Joy is there Everywhere.
THE MAGNIFICAT – A POETIC VERSION
Joy Cowley wrote a lovely version, although not a translation, or even close. Here is an edited version of her beautiful work.
And Miriam said:
I sing in gratitude with all my soul.
My spirit rejoices, and I’m dancing in the mystery of God.
The light of the Holy One is within me
and I am blessed, so truly blessed,
because you have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
This goes deeper than human thinking.
I am filled with awe at your compassion,
at Love whose only condition
is to be received.
The proud have no room
for your gift of love and compassion,
and the strength of your grace.
The strong and self-sufficient ones
do not have this awareness.
But the poor and the humble,
those who know their emptiness
can rejoice in Love’s fullness,
as you fill them with your love.
You send compassion to those who love.
It’s the Love that we are made for,
the reason for our being.
It fills our inmost heart space
and brings to birth in us, the Holy One.
