Harp of the Holy Ghost

2 corinthians 1:18-22; Psalm 119 Lord, jet your face shine on me; Matthew 5:13-16

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Ephrem, a deacon and doctor of the Church.  He is the second oldest doctor of the Church 306b-373d.

He is considered the 'harp of the Holy Ghost' because of his poetic style, harmonious words, and mystical hymns composed about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Mother, Primacy of Peter, and many teachings of the Church.

One such Hymn is on Faith, The Pearl:

"On a certain day a pearl did I take up, my brethren; I saw in it mysteries pertaining to the kingdom; semblances and types of the majesty; it became a fountain, and I drank out of it mysteries of the Son.

I put it, my brethren, upon the palm of my hand, that I might examine it: I went to look at on one side, and it proved faces on all sides.  I found out that the Son was incomprehensible, since He is wholly light.

In it brightness I beheld the Bright One Who cannot be clouded, and in its pureness a great mystery, even the Body of our Lord which is well-refined: in its undividedness I saw the Truth which is undivided."

For Ephrem, as for St. Paul, Jesus is the promised fulfillment of all promises.  Jesus is the eternal yes to all of us.  In that Yes St. Ephrem found his way and harp of the Holy Ghost was played.

side note:

At mass when the Consecrated Host is raised and the priest leads the congregation,"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, happy are those who are called to His supper," the congregation responds, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be held."

What is that word we long to hear to heal us and set us free?  What is that word that opens the doors to the banquet and places into our hands the invitation that welcomes us to the table?

The word we long for, yearn to hear, is nothing more than the the "Yes" of Jesus to the Father, "for however the many promises of God their "Yes" is in him" (Jesus).  Our response to the "yes" of Jesus is "Amen" for the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory. 

As we come to the banquet, every time we celebrate the Eucharist, our "Amen" is that which acknowledges the "Yes" of Jesus, and there we receive the bread of life.  Between the "Yes" of Jesus and the "Amen" of the faithful we finally find a living space, a space for life itself.

"In your sacrament we daily embrace you and receive you into our bodies; make us worthy to experience resurrection for which we hope.  We have had your treasure hidden within us ever since we received baptismal grace; it grows ever richer at your sacramental table.  Teach us to find joy in your favor!  Lord, we have within us your memorial, received at your spiritual table; Let us possess it in its full reality when all things shall be made new." St. Ephrem

quote of the day:

"we must love while we suffer and we must suffer if we love" St. John Vianney