This weekend, I quote the following poem by Spanish poet Antonio Machado (1875 - 1939) in my homily. This Sunday actually happens to be his birthday - July 26. I had the privilege to visit the humble apartment in Segovia where he lived most of his adult life and where he wrote most of his poems.
In the imagery of Machado’s poem, the Lord can come to us in a quiet whisper and a calm breeze with the Good News of salvation, with a call for us to follow him that can be as subtle & as beautiful as the smell of jasmine blooming on a hot summer’s night. Yet, if we’ve neglected our faith, if the garden of our soul has not been cultivated, we might not be ready to receive his message, no matter how beautiful and inviting that message may be.
THE WIND, ONE BRILLIANT DAY
One clear day the wind with the
aroma of jasmine called my heart:
"In exchange for my aroma I'd love to
have the fragrance of all your roses."
"I have no roses, there aren't any
flowers in my garden; all have died."
" I will then take the fountain's waters,
the yellow leaves and the withered petals."
The wind left...My heart wailed....
" Soul, what have you done to your garden?"
LLAMÓ A MI CORAZÓN, UN CLARO DÍA
Llamó a mi corazón, un claro día,
con un perfume de jazmín, el viento.
-A cambio de este aroma,
todo el aroma de tus rosas quiero.
-No tengo rosas; flores
en mi jardín no hay ya, todas han muerto.
-Me llevaré los llantos de las fuentes,
las hojas amarillas y los mustios pétalos.
- Y el viento huyó... Mi corazón sangraba...
Alma, ¿qué has hecho de tu pobre huerto?
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