PRAYING  IN  THE  DARK CLOUD

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 5^th Monday in Ordinary Time  is, “Praying in the Dark Cloud.”

At the end of today’s first reading there is a sentence that grabbed me: “The Lord intends to dwell in the dark cloud….”

That seems quite intense – as well as intriguing – as well as interesting. 

It’s 1 Kings 8:12.

I looked up about a dozen translations of this text translated from the Hebrew “BAR ARA PEL”  and most have either “the dark cloud” or “the thick cloud.”

It triggered for me immediately, Saint John of the  Cross – as well as F. Scott’s Fitzgerald’s comment in an essay in The Crack-Up.

Quote: “In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o'clock in the morning, day after day.”

People have certainly experienced God – and screams for God – and the feelings of the absence of God – when there is horror happening – liquor being spilled – relationships or family is falling apart or being flimsy  and they can’t sleep at three o’clock in the morning – or three in the afternoon.

PRAYER THOUGHT

Solomon tells us in this text  from 1^st Kings that he built a  princely house – a dwelling for the Lord – where The Lord can abide forever – but then once more his comment, “The Lord intends to dwell in the dark cloud.”

If we look at our life, we know we have experienced God in churches as well as in dark clouds.  We have experienced God in sunrises and sunsets – in the mountains or on or at the ocean – the desert or the maternity ward.

In the scriptures we have the prominence of clouds – as places where people experienced God. For example, In Exodus we have the pillar of fire and the cloud – leading Israel in the wilderness.

It’s good to sit on a porch on a rainy day – if there is roof overhead  - and watch the rain and the clouds and experience God.  It’s good to get a window seat on a plane – on a cloudy day – and look out the window as our plane breaks out of the clouds and all is light – if it’s daytime. Or it’s good to sit on a porch at night and look at the sky or the stars or both – and the red moon – like last night – and the silver moon – full or in slivers - other nights.

THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING

That comment in 1 Kings 8: 12 also triggered for me, thoughts about The Cloud of Unknowing – the book. This 14^th century book is still around – and one can read it on line – and read commentaries on it. 

Tricky stuff – if it brings us to realize – we can never nail down God – even on a cross – or in words – or images.

The Hebrews gave us the 1^st and 2^nd commandments – as a warning not to have false images of God – and to think we know God – as God really is.

Life is getting glimpses of those we live with – but as they said of JFK, “Johnny We Hardly Knew You.”  Well, if that’s with each other, it’s a zillion zenith glimpses getting to know  God.

Yet in the meanwhile,  the clouds  lift at times and we get glimpses of the Son.

In the meanwhile, if you find yourself in the dark when it comes to God, count yourself in the company of Mother Teresa and every person – even the atheists – when they wonder and wrestle about God – especially when they are in a dark cloud.

Or like Saint Scholastica, whose feast is today, who wanted to talk to her twin brother on a long dark rainy night.