Part of the first “week” of the Ignatian Exercises involves experiencing the boundless mercy of God (and, by contrast, our own great sinfulness). As part of my journey during this first “week” in the Exercises, my director asked me to meditate upon a love poem written years ago to Christ. The author uses the imagery of a wedding, writing as a bride searching for her bridegroom. In the tradition of Song of Solomon, the author uses images of marriage and intimacy to describe the deep love he has for Christ, and the deep love Christ has for him.
The author is known as Saint John of the Cross. His poem is called “The Spiritual Canticle.” As I meditated on his poem, I was stuck by two lines. One is found in stanza 10: “may my eyes behold you, because you are their light, and I would open them to you alone.” The other is found in stanza 33: “Do not despise me; for if, before, you found me dark, now truly you can look at me since you have looked and left in me grace and beauty.”
In one line, John prays that he might see Christ, and Christ alone. In the other line, John prays that Christ might see him–as Christ has made him–full of grace and beauty.
This is the ultimate goal of the Exercises and of my 30 days of silence. My hope is to see Christ and Christ alone in all his beauty. And my hope is for Christ to see me. Not the me I’ve made of myself. But the me he’s made of me.
May you, too, behold Christ alone today.
