Things Hidden

What is this awesome mystery
that is taking place within me?
I can find no words to express it;
my poor hand is unable to capture it
in describing the praise and glory that belong
to the One who is above all praise,
and who transcends every word...
My intellect sees what has happened,
but cannot explain it.
It can see, and wishes to explain,
but can find no word that will suffice;
for what it sees is invisible and entirely formless,
simple, completely uncompounded,
unbounded in its awesome greatness.
What I have seen is the totality recapitulated as one,
received not in essence but by participation.
Just as if you lit a flame from a flame,
it is the whole flame you receive."

---St. Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022)



I was going to title this entry, "Go To Your Room!" I recently was privileged to have a rather 'spirited' discussion with a couple of friends about faith. My parlor is filled with books, DVDs, tapes, rosaries, and a comfortable sofa, chair and rocking chair. The only thing that is missing for enhanced spirituality is me. I have my theories why I avoid that room, but those reasons seemed pretty hollow when they floated towards the ears of my friends. So, I entered that room this morning, picked up a book and started to read. Ironically the book is titled "Things Hidden" by Fr. Richard Rohr. The words from St. Symeon were appropriate for my first entry from the book. Realizing that insight is best received "not in essence, but participation", I will try to relay bits and pieces from what I discover in the book. To hold myself to the completion of Rohr's book , an identical copy (long ignored by me) is now in the hands of one of those spirited friends.
I am hoping that he reads the book with me and will encourage me to keep looking for those things that seem to be hidden.