There Is A Light Within You

I've said many things, but at the heart
of them all is this: There is a light
within you, in your soul, uncreated
and uncreatable; it simply is. If you wish to know yourself,
look for this light in the dark;
it is ever present, even when
you've lost sight of it. Look
away from what you think
you are, and look deeper into
the darkness that is within. There you'll find that light
which is ever radiant,
even if no one—not
even you—notices.

--Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) German Dominican academic, theologian, preacher, and mystic, from Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness & Light: Meditations on the Path of the Wayless Way, 2023, edited by Jon M. Sweeney and Mark S. Burrows.

The Divine Image

To Mercy Pity Peace and Love
All Pray in the distress,
And to those virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy Pity Peace and Love
Is God our father dear,
and Mercy Pity Peace and Love
Is Man his child and care.

For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity, a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.

Then every man of every clime
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love Mercy Pity Peace.

And all must love the human form
In heathen, turk or jew.
Where Mercy Love & Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.


--William Blake (1757-1827), Romantic-era mystic, poet, and artist

Called by Love

Great God, your love has called us here
as we, by love, for love were made.
Your living likeness still we bear,
though marred, dishonored, disobeyed.
    We come with all our heart and mind,
    your call to hear, your heart to find.

-- Brian A. Wren (1936- ), British hymnist