I look at the message that our psalm declares today - that the LORD proclaims peace to his people, that the Lord’s salvation is near to those who fear him and respect him, that glory dwells in our land. What a hopeful, comforting message. Yet, we know that the reality of life can be harsh indeed. St John of the Cross is the Saint we celebrate today. To put John of the Cross into historical perspective, Martin Luther published his 95 theses in 1517, which stated the Protestant Reformer. John of the Cross, who became an important Church reformer himself, was born in 1542. We can describe John of the Cross not only as a Church reformer, mystic, priest, Carmelite monk, spiritual writer, Doctor of the Church, and spiritual advisor and confessor of the great Carmelite nun St Teresa of Avila. Author of the famous poem, The Dark Night of the Soul, John of the Cross is considered to be one of the greatest poets in the history of the Spanish language.
Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote: “Just as we can never separate asceticism from mysticism, so in Saint John of the Cross we find darkness and light, suffering and joy, sacrifice and love united together so closely that they seem at times to be identified.” There are so many great quotes of St John of the Cross, but these very poetic words really speak to me:
“Never was fount so clear,
undimmed and bright;
From it alone,
I know proceeds all light,
although ’tis night.”
I remember when my plane landed in Spain last January for my pilgrimage journey, I immediately thought - I am in the land of John of the Cross, of Teresa of Avila, of Ignatius of Loyola, of John of Avila, some of the greatest figure in the history of Catholicism, and all of them came out of 16th century Spain. John of the Cross, we thank you for your courage, your mystical faith, your poetic words, your prophetic vision. We unite our prayers to yours.
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