Saturday, December 27, 2008

New Year's Reflection

The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Father Chuck,

Just read your beautiful reflection for today and the New Year! It leaves much room to ponder our lives with all the details good and bad and to give them to God.

Your words actually hit home for me, as this past week I went to be with a sister who hasn't been in contact for 16 years, upon the death of my stepfather and her father. My heart had been betray and was left abandoned without my mother and family in my life.

After much soul searching, decided to go and be with her and my blind mother, who has not wanted me around for the same amount of years. There is nothing like the abandonment of one's mother and her love.

My sister said, during our visit, that out of tragedy comes "JOY" my sister is back in my life.

It matters not why this happened and is fruitless to live in the past. I choose to live in the present and enjoy our reconnection.

My prayers will be with you and your recent medical issues.

God bless you abundantly with love, peace, and good health.

Linda Panozzo
St. Mary's Parish
West Chicago, IL