Ruminations
Submitted by daniel.budd on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 3:55pm.
For many years, I have likened the various religious expressions of humanity as different languages for the Holy. Each culture, out of its experience and inspiration, has developed such a language. They have their unique specifics, and they are connected by their shared universals. These universals are what I seek in my own spiritual life and work, and what Rumi writes in this week's poem, "One Song."
What is praised is one, so the praise is one too,
many jugs being poured
into a huge basin. All religions, all this singing.
one song.
...Sunlight looks slightly different
on this wall than it does on that wall and a lot different
on this other one, but
it is still one light. (Coleman Barks, trans.)
(This image was also used by my recently deceased colleague, the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church. You may read more about that in the sermon in our site's sermon library, "One Light, Many Windows.")
Blessings,
Daniel Budd
What is praised is one, so the praise is one too,
many jugs being poured
into a huge basin. All religions, all this singing.
one song.
...Sunlight looks slightly different
on this wall than it does on that wall and a lot different
on this other one, but
it is still one light. (Coleman Barks, trans.)
(This image was also used by my recently deceased colleague, the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church. You may read more about that in the sermon in our site's sermon library, "One Light, Many Windows.")
Blessings,
Daniel Budd