Thursday, April 24, 2014

A friend sent this beautiful meditation by Rabbi Abraham Heschel.

Witnessing the Wonder 
by 
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Mountains at Sils Maria, Switzerland - Photo by kindness of Robert Carlson

Prayer is our humble answer 
to the inconceivable surprise of living. 
It is all we can offer in return 
for the mystery by which we live. 
Amidst the meditation of mountains, 
the humility of flowers
— wiser than all alphabets — 
clouds that die constantly 
for the sake of God’s glory, 
we are hating, hunting, hurting. 
Suddenly we feel ashamed 
of our clashes and complaints
in face of the tacit glory in nature. 
It is embarrassing to live!
How strange we are in the world, 
and how presumptuous our doings! 
Only one response can maintain us: 
gratefulness for witnessing the wonder, 
for the gift of our unearned right to serve,
to adore, and to fulfill. It is gratefulness 
which makes the soul great.

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