The Beauty Within

We have had a ‘Going Deeper’ meeting in our parish for some years, we say evening prayer and then read a text and share our thoughts about it, finishing with a period of silent prayer.  We are just starting on Teresa’s Interior Castle, and last night I felt the extraordinary power and beauty of her depiction of the human soul as a castle of diamond.  I am always overwhelmed by the thought of my soul as a thing of such beauty – it’s very hard to take in.  As Catholics I guess we alternate between thanksgiving for the glory of God and His creation – including ourselves – and a deep sense of our sinfulness, and of course Teresa herself goes on to describe the soul as darkened by sin.  But isn’t it entrancing to think that by the grace of God there is such beauty within us?  Yes, it is a beauty tarnished by our weaknesses but it is a beauty nonetheless.       

Intercessions

Pope Leo as he recovers from his operation for cancer.

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Theresa K, Elena

Ivy – sick child

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (in recovery)

Illness:  Katy Keeling, Noreen

David OCDS – housebound

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly