An image
Rests upon the sounding board
Of the mind.
Ringing.
Though once tasted,
Remains but an imprint.
Fading.
Reflection causes,
Though damp and distant.
Strengthening.
But the decrescendo of forget
Hastens the
Erasing.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
If you have downloaded Google Earth onto your computer, you can view the pictures of Taize that I took during these few days of rest. They are the same pictures from yesterday. To view the pictorial click here.
It is strange for me to think of Nietzsche on a day like today, but I can’t help myself. Nietzsche is the philosopher who once announced to the world that “God is dead.” In his philosophical worldview, he also had an interesting way of understanding of the human person. He envisioned that human beings were like wax. We hold no convictions of truth, other than the impressions into which we are molded, by the bold actions of uber-men, the real shapers of destiny.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
It is strange. But I’m having a very strong experience which leads me to believe that I agree with Nietzsche.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
But I don’t agree that God is dead. I agree that human beings are like wax that is molded. When the stimulus of the world interacts with us, we are left with binding impressions that shape who we are, and shape how we continue to interact with future stimuli.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
Oddly enough, this became apparent to me while praying at Taize. The prayer form at Taize is unique. Short phrases from scripture and tradition are sung, in harmony by the assembly. The phrase is repeated over and over again. As you participate in this prayer, you stop thinking about the words you are saying and the melody you are singing. The music, in a sense becomes part of who you are. The melody and the words, are impressed, like a mold, upon your very being.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
Then you stop singing, but something remains. It feels as if you are still singing, like the words are still a part of your life, even though you are silent. After praying in the style of Taizé, you leave the chapel area, but somehow the prayer is still going on as you walk. If you listen closely to your heart, you can hear the
words, and the melody, continue to effect everything you see and do.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
There is an optical illusion in which you stare at a black and white image for a couple minutes. After staring,
you are asked to close your eyes. What has happened biologically is that the rods and cones in your eye have adjusted to the colors of black and white in a permanent manner. When you close your eyes, the rods and cones readjust to the color change, but they don’t adjust fast enough. So what you see when you close your eyes is an image. Here is a link that illustrates the phenomenon. Check it out.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
It is a similar experience, though less dramatic, to stare at the bright sun and then close your eyes. For a brief while, a dark purple glow will still be visible in the spot where once you saw the sun.
In both cases, there has been an impression made upon you eyes which affects the way you see. The music of Taizé does the same thing to your soul. It leaves an impression. But instead of an impression that is seen physically, or heard orally, it is lived lovingly.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
Nada Te Turbe – It is a song sung frequently in prayer at Taizé. It means – Let nothing disturb, let nothing worry you. Who has God, lacks nothing. Let nothing disturb you, let nothing worry you, only God suffices.
If you meditate on those words long enough, soon you don’t have to meditate at all, and you will begin to realize that nothing is disturbing you. Nothing is worrying you. Your dependence on God is all that you need. Meditating shapes what we are, as if we were wax molded to the object of our meditation, and when we are silent, the impression remains.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Quien a Dios tiene, nada la falta.
Nada te turbe, Nada te espante. Solo Dios, basta.
I don’t believe Nietzsche had everything right. After all he said that God is dead. God still seems alive to me, and Nietzsche seems to me to be the one who is dead. Nietzsche thought it was the uber-man who molded the wax of society, but it doesn’t make sense. Uber-men are just men. They are wax as well. There still has to be something that is real that can shape the wax in the first place. I believe that is God. Nietzsche, and many others, are certain not to agree with me, but I really can’t imagine letting that bother me right now.
Solo Dios, basta.