As I meditate on the Second Reading at Mass today (2 Cor 3,4-11) and go deep into the imagery of the last lines, “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…” I was reminded of a line from Gerald Manley Hopkins “Christ plays in ten thousand places.” Indeed, in the mystery of the incarnation, the whole creation, and in particular, every one of us, gets to be transformed into a “Christ-presence.” If only we could witness to this beautiful truth to each other.
Here’s the delightful poem of Hopkins to help us deepen the Word of God today.
As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves – goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying What I do is me: for that I came.
I say more: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is -
Christ – for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men’s faces.
Here’s the delightful poem of Hopkins to help us deepen the Word of God today.
As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves – goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying What I do is me: for that I came.
I say more: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is -
Christ – for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men’s faces.
