We perceive much sin and darkness when we ponder alone honestly and, as the Christian expression goes, "search our conscience". The "Great Theresa" , the authority in understanding the various forms of prayer, noted for the sisters of her Order a much deeper way. What makes us more and more conscious of our sin is not laboriously examining our own failures which observing ourselves involves, but in looking at the love of God. This knowledge does not allow us to doubt, but pulls us directly into the mercy of God's love. Because as a sinner we have been loved by God unconditionally (Romans 5:8-10), we can come to God with our darkness and enter into God's light even though in this light we recognize our sin more profoundly than before. Because we are each a loved sinner, we do not, therefore, have to repress our sin but let it "be brought into the light so that it can be healed".
- Luke 5:1-11 ("I am a sinful man")
- Luke 19:1-10 (Zacchaeus)- Ernst Barlach- "Hope and Despair" ( picture meditation)
Suggestions for meditation on this picture:
During the meditation of this picture we ask ourselves:
- Which internal or external ups and downs might these three people have experienced that cause them to react in these ways? . . From which life circumstance should we pray before this picture... When we find ourselves here and now in this picture, which inner darkness can we bring to light (for example, my fear of ... my difficulty with ...)?
- What power might it be that causes the middle figure to turn to the light so much from within? ... to rise up... to let the dark cloak nearly slide off... to open his hands outwardly... that the gaze is drawn so compellingly that the figure, as it were, looks with the entire face...?
- Which of the three figures are we? ... Which do we want to be? ... Do we want to do what the picture invites us to and receive, as it were, the light...to let it enter us and thereby enter the world... .? We look and ponder and allow space for what we experience inwardly... "My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning" (Ps. 130:6).