Silent retreat.
Hugging our coffee mugs
Staring into space
Being very serious
Avoiding other’s gaze
Sitting with lonely thoughts.
When a dog ran in
Racing round the room
Disappearing through a door
People looked at each other,
Smiled, made eye contact, laughed.
Canine humanity welcomed.
Silent retreat.
Is being with God so serious?
Walking in gloom not light?
A dawning of understanding.
In old eternal truth
Blessed happiness came
“I am God don’t try to capture, contain, control me –
liberate me so that you can be free.
Don’t blame me for your wrongdoing –
no more ‘God made me do it’, ‘God is on our side’.
Have time off from working -
don’t make lots of rules about having fun;
Care for the aged and infirm -
set the example then you’ll be looked after too;
Don’t murder, don’t steal -
neither property nor people;
Don’t tell lies to get your own way -
nor throw the blame onto others;
Remember, to desire more by casting envious eyes –
is not enjoying what you have.”
Silent retreat
Lightness of knowing
When the dog ran in.
Written while on retreat at St Beuno’s