THROUGH THE VEIL
“Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved." - Ps. 80
During Advent we hear much from the prophets Isaiah, Elijah, and John the Baptist enjoining us to turn away from sin and passing things, to repent and follow the Lord who is to come and who never passes away. The themes of expectant hope, peace, joy, and love during the four weeks of Advent all reflect what a life centered on awaiting and trusting in the Christ brings about - drawing us into that deeper spiritual life and away from worldly things.
Meanwhile, the weeks leading up to Christmas seem to be oriented in just the opposite way. Consume! Buy! I find myself bombarded with busyness to complete projects and arrange my schedule around all the festivities. And the temptation to compare my life, possessions, and achievements to those of others is particularly heightened this time of year. Nevertheless, I am invited to keep drawing from the well of faith which is not as loud or glitzy as all the Christmas season ads but is much deeper and ultimately more satisfying.
St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church and mystic, whose memorial we celebrate today, was one particular person of faith who was consistently drawn back to Christ, who he could perceive through the veil of faith.
O crystal well!
O that on Your silvered surface
You would mirror forth at once
Those desired eyes
Which are outlined in my heart - (Stanza XII, Spiritual Canticle)
St. John was no stranger to suffering. He was imprisoned in a very small cell under inhumane conditions by his own Carmelite brothers for over 8 months. Yet he from his cell, he was spiritually free, and it was there that he composed one of his most famous poems, Spiritual Canticle. St. John unpacks the stanza above in A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ:
“The articles and definitions of the faith are called silvered surfaces… we must know that faith is compared to silver because of the propositions it teaches us, the truth and substance it involves being compared to gold. This very substance... hidden behind the silver veil of faith, we shall clearly behold and enjoy hereafter; the gold of faith shall be made manifest” (Note 3 on Stanza XII).
Even from his cell, St. John held on to expectant hope that “the gold”, our Messiah, our Emmanuel, would “be made manifest”. That we would “see his face and be saved” (Ps 80). So let us continue to persevere in turning our eyes to Jesus, even amidst the superficial and the distractions of this season, to allow ourselves even the briefest of moments to simply be, breathe, and reflect on a deeper reality, a deeper truth, a deeper life, rooted in the hope that Christ brings. Let us give ourselves this Christmas gift each day as we await the coming of the Lord.
What is one small or simple spiritual practice that I might gift myself each day to help me draw closer to God during this Advent season?
Jessica Gerhardt