Celtic Blessing

The picture above is Glendoloch, Ireland and it appropriately goes with this Beannacht blessing from John O'Donohue.  

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

~ John O'Donohue ~

 (Echoes of Memory)

I first heard this poem read by John O'Donohue in an interview with Krista Tippett.  It was written for his mother, Josie O'Donohue, and it was written shortly before his own death in 2008, like Sr. Ann Michele, he was found dead in bed.  This poem just seems to fit the time of year and the numbness of the hearts of our staff as we go through the motions of making life run smoothing in our Spiritual Center.  It is a bit of a resurrection blessing--from darkness to life, from drudgery to love, from pain to peace.   As the leaves let go of their tree limbs risking all, letting go into God, so we allow a slow wind work these words of love around" us and "an invisible cloak to mind [our] lives".  We have been blessed with understanding retreatants who have adapted to the inconveniences of Sandy and the grieving  hearts of the staff and brought us sunshine and peace each day.  For them we are grateful and for our ability to work as a team to create a hospitable environment worthy of those who enter our doors.

Here is the Beannacht blessing with some soft music and graphics to calm your soul:   
Blessing by John O'Donohue  May it do for you what God is doing for us!