Watching one of our favorite television shows, GRIMM, the particular episode was called, “The Kiss of the Muse,” having to do with that being whom the Ancients considered a goddess, providing inspiration to the artist. Grimm, of course, focused on how such beings might be very positive or very very evil. They’d have us ask ourselves, “Who’s my Muse?!”
i thought immediately of a man like Pope Francis, who JOYFULLY and frequently declares to the world that his MUSE IS THE ONE MUSE THAT MATTERS, MERCY, the very Heart of God. But then i recall the story that is so often repeated in sermons…of the little child who was screaming to Mommy from his bedroom due to nightmares. In her varied attempts to comfort him the mother said, “When you are scared, pray to God,” to which the child answered, “That’s nice, Mommy, but I’d rather have somebody with arms to hug me.”
Pope Francis is very much that boy. While he talks about this Mercy of God, he constantly uses – or BETTER YET, gives – examples of MERCY IN THE FLESH. i myself find this MUSE everywhere i look. The other day i blogged of how i found him by the onions in ShopRite!!! But, as my readers know, in fact the area they have best connected with me, i’ve hardly found a surer Muse of Mercy than in my lifetime of dogs, present company especially, my Rudy!
When we think of the Muse of a Saint such as Francis of Assisi or John of the Cross, we speak of “Falling in Love with Love Itself,” and, well, That IS Life with these such Great Companions, our wonder-beasts. It is the common link with which i can so easily, effortlessly, connect with people everywhere on the tried n true proof of God, namely, this unconditional love we all encounter, this faithfulness no matter what, this vigilant watching over us, that joyous explosion of love upon our return after we’ve been away, even if it was, say, for ten minutes.
From my very first puppy to my very ancient Rudy, who, as we speak, is getting ready to return to the “Paradise” which loaned him to us as our perfect friend and muse, my favorite link of all to the Divine is this way in which they communicate with us. Every dog has taught me, far more than any priest or nun or spiritual master, that the Secret is in the SILENCE. Only those who learn the value – and the method – of Silence will ever learn to truly TUNE IN to the ONE TRUE MUSE, the Heart of God. And this attribute coincides with the ability to look beyond what we see with our eyes. Over the centuries in Art the most common image of the muse is that of a woman so breathtakingly “beautiful” in the ways that the majority of men define the term.
BUT, THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOUR EYES MEET HERS, or HIS, AND YOU JUST KNOW FOR CERTAIN
THAT LOVE IS REAL and that REAL LOVE is all that matters, not money, that luxury, not fame, not a fancy house or car or boat, just companionship with a True Beauty known as Love.
MercySoup.com 