God Was In The Storm
Miriam Hogan, O.C.D.
The Carmelite poet, Jessica Powers, who is also known as Sr. Miriam of the Holy Spirit, wrote many times about how nature and the change of seasons can speak to the human heart. Now that the cold of winter is past, and the joy of springtime is upon us, I am drawn to consider once again her poem entitled Humility. In simple language the poem begins:
Humility is to be still
under the weathers of God's will.
Perhaps, it is especially good at this time of year to remember that while we can plant the seeds, there are many things that can happen to the fragile new life that arises from them. Anyone who has farmed, even a little, knows from experience that what is hoped for and what is harvested can be very different.
Briefly stated, we do not know what will happen in life, or even what the weather will be from one day to the next. I am sure that the people involved in the recent earthquakes in Haiti, South America, and Mexico-California and China were unaware of the consequences the day before. Almost all insurance policies mention "an act of God." Yet, this is perhaps a bit misnamed, as many people do not believe that all of the weather is directly caused by God, but that God works through natural forces.Yet, as the people of Haiti assure us, hope lies beyond mere material possessions. In everyday relationships , we should not be overly concerned about what others may think or say about our seeming misfortunes. Again, poetically stated, Jessica explains:
It is to have no troubled care
for human weathers anywhere.
Ultimately, humility is a deep trust and reliance upon the mercy and love of God in our everyday experience. This trust was brought home to me in dramatic fashion one evening. While in college I used to like to occasionally, on the weekends, go up to a fish restaurant in Half Moon Bay, California. It was a small simple place built up over the water, a place where one could see working people and fishermen. There were large windows where you could view the ocean.
As I was eating, a storm came up and the ocean got more and more rough. This didn't concern me, until I learned that the owner, who was also in the restaurant, was very concerned that the fishing boat, which carried among others her husband and son, was overdue in returning to port. So I, along with the other patrons, watched intently for some sign of the boat. Finally, we saw it on the horizon. It was still a long way out, beyond the rock barrier and was tossing up and down with the waves. As we watched the boat, it would disappear and reappear before us. The owner was intently watching out the window, and it was obvious that she was praying. If the boat didn't break apart in the waves it could smash against the rocks that circled the bay and provided harbor on calmer days. I knew that everyone in the place was keenly aware of the danger. There was a hushed silence. I'm sure that others were also praying. After what seemed like an eternity, the boat made it through the rocks and began coming into port. Everyone clapped.
Trust In Someone Beyond
Afterwards, I was thinking that there was a reason why the Lord chose mainly fishermen to be his disciples. For these are men who, no matter how burly and strong they are, know the power of the sea in a storm. In spite of all of their faults, they have a special kind of humility and trust in someone beyond their own strength. The poem describes this:
Humility is to have a place
deep in the secret of God's face
Finally, the fishermen all seem to know by experience, what we sometimes have to recall about humility when being tossed up and down in the waves of life, that:
It is to have a place to hide
when all is hurricane outside.
_____
Quotes are from The Selected Poetry of Jessica Powers, edited by Regina Siegfried, ASC, and Robert F. Morneau, ICS Publications, 2131 Lincoln Road, NE, Washington DC 20002, 1999
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