As I went to Mass and slowly began to understand the liturgy, every word and gesture resonated more and more. I stared at the Host as the priest took it in both hands and raised it to heaven. That little wafer now seemed like a diamond chip, a point of intersection, a cross between the visible and invisible universe, and as he raised it in consecration and the little bell rang, it seemed that two supertankers were crashing together in a single, glorious moment. I was dazzled — and grateful that I was dazzled.He's speaking my language. I already had this sense of the moment but love having these words to use for it.
Richard Cole, Catholic By Choice
Friday, April 25, 2014
Well Said: The Crashing Together of The Visible and Invisible
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YES! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIn my callow youth, when I generated free verse (sorry) and thought it poetry (I got over it), I wrote this:
The Altar
The Altar is a place and a work
A slippage in the universe
A flickering gap between worlds
Where, briefly, there is Light.
Mr. Cole says it ever so much better.
Exact same concept, you are right! When I showed our priest the Cole quote he said, "It is the same from both sides of the altar." Which was simply wonderful to hear, of course.
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