Time to sit

One day, a younger monk approached his mentor, frustrated at what seemed to him to be an impossible task of knowing and feeling the presence of God.

"How may I experience God?" he asked.

Merton responded: "How does an apple ripen? It just sits in the sun."

_________________________________________________________

I can choose

The old man thought

To sit in the sun

Or sit in the darkness

In the darkness I will be alone with my thoughts

Which are not good company

Oh, perhaps the Sacred will be there too

But that is not where I usually find it

But it is rewarding sometimes

To sit in the shadowy abyss

And nurse my fear, my anger

In the sun, there will be times when I will be uncomfortable

But there I can see the mountain

And the trees

There I can hear the birds

And see them soar again the sky

There I find other people

And they find me

In the dark, it seems as though energy and hope flow into nothingness

In the light, it seems energy and love flow in

Oh yes, there is time to go into the shade

And time to rest

But if I want to find what I seek

Love, affection, warmth

Hope, forgiveness, joy

Sacred

I have to sit, patiently

And let all

Soak

in