Pious Musings from the Saints
There’s a quote from the English philosopher and writer Aldous Huxley in which he claims, "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music" (source).
Within my own life experiences, I have found this to be completely true. Music can cut to the heart and match the depths and heights of my emotions in a way that almost nothing else can. In a similar vein, I have found the combination of witty and wise words within the melodic cadence of a poem has a similar effect on my inner being. Poetry—it seems—is a sort of music of its own.
Seven Poems Penned by Canonized Friends
There are countless Saints known for their written works—many of them being Doctors of the Church. It should really come as no surprise that in addition to their powerful theological treatises, their personal prayer and relationships with God resulted in rhythmic literary work as well.
It seemed fitting on World Poetry Day to share a handful of these pieces.
Vulnerable
By Saint Catherine of Siena
Vulnerable we are, like an infant.
We need each other’s care
or we will
Suffer.
More Poems by Saint Catherine of Siena
My Peace and My Joy
By Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
There are souls on the Earth
who are searching for happiness in vain.
For me, it’s the opposite,
joy lives in my heart.
It’s a flower that I possess forever.
Like a spring rose, it smiles at me every day.
Girl Disappointed in Love
By Karol Wojtyla
With mercury we measure pain
as we measure the heat of bodies and air;
but this is not how to discover our limits–
you think you are the center of things.
If you could only grasp that you are not:
the center is He, and He, too, finds no love—
why don’t you see? The human heart–what is it for?
Cosmic temperature. Heart. Mercury.
More Poems by Pope Saint John Paul II
Laughter Came From Every Brick
Just these two words God spoke
changed my life,
“Enjoy Me.”
What a burden I thought I was to carry–
a crucifix, as did He.
Love once said to me “I know a song,
would you like to hear it?”
And laughter came from every brick in the street
and from every pore
in the sky.
After a night of prayer, God
changed my life when
God sang,
“Enjoy Me.”
More Poems from Saint Teresa of Avila
Poem of the Virgin at the Foot of the Cross
By Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)
At the foot of the Cross, I stood with you today and felt clearly, as never before, that you became our Mother here at the foot of the Cross.
A mother’s fidelity here already takes so much heart to fulfill her son’s last will! You were also the handmaid of the Lord.
The being and the life of God made man were engraved entirely in your being and in your life and that is how you took his in your heart.
By the blood of your heart, by your bitter sufferings, you have acquired a new life for each of these souls.
You know us all with our wounds, our weaknesses, you also know the heavenly splendor whose love of your Son desires to flood us with eternal clarity. So you take it to heart to steer our steps.
No price seems too high to bring us to the point. But to those whom you have chosen to follow you and surround you one day near the eternal throne, it is up to you to stand with you here near the Cross.
Through the blood of their hearts, through bitter sufferings, they have a mission to acquire the heavenly splendor for all those souls of great value that the Son of God has entrusted to them and given to them as an inheritance.
More Poems from Saint Edith Stein
The Pillar of the Cloud
By Saint John Henry Newman
Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home —
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene, — one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor pray'd that Thou
Should'st lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: remember not past years.
So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on,
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
More Poems by Saint John Henry Newman
Love Never Disappears
By Saint Augustine of Hippo
Love never disappears for death is a non-event.
I have merely retired to the room next door.
You and I are the same; what we were for each other, we still are.
Speak to me as you always have, do not use a different tone, do not be sad.
Continue to laugh at what made us laugh.
Smile and think of me.
Life means what it has always meant.
The link is not severed.
Why should I be out of your soul if I am out of your sight?
I will wait for you; I am not here, but just on the other side of this path.
You see, all is well.
Expressing the Inexpressible
There is much at which the Saints excelled for which we are all still striving. It is apparent from these few poems that they themselves were no strangers to immense heartbreak or to awe-inspiring love. May their words serve as reminders and encouragement to us as we continue our journey towards our heavenly home, no matter what events we face in life.
Grace is a regular contributor to the BIS Blog. She had planned to be a nurse until an encounter with Christ in Confession ignited a spark that resulted in an ongoing career as a high school Theology teacher. Though a cradle Catholic, she continues to be amazed at the depth of peace and joy that can be found within the Faith and can’t help but share that passion with others as a teacher, writer, and speaker. Outside of ministry, she dabbles in a bit of everything, excels in almost nothing, and like most moms, cannot survive without at least one cup of coffee a day. Grace resides in Charleston, SC with her hunky husband and their daughter who looks just like him. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Grace's posts here.
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