Fifteenth Meditation

(The Dark Night, book II: chapter 5)


"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth… but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.'" (32)


Oppressive Brightness

The brilliance of the Divine ray,
Dazzles her intellect's weak eye;
Reason's blinded in the foray --
Only with faith will she get by.

The detail of her soul's defect,
Shows clearly in the Ray's strong light;
Contemplation has this effect:
Self-knowledge is itself a night.

Self-knowledge is a heavy weight;
Oppressive is Truth in this night.
The soul suffers much in this state --
The contrast of contraries fight.

With grace, the defects will be purged;
In time, only the Truth will reign.
Until this new state has emerged,
The soul's purgation provokes pain.

Yet God's will is merciful love;
By means of night, she'll rise above.


May the light of Truth purge all that is not of God in our partially-formed intellects.

32. Ephesians 5:8-9,13-15


(c) Paul Buis, 2004