Daily Reflections for Holy Times: Pour Light Into My Cup

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Pour Light into My Cup


God
pours light
into every cup,
quenching darkness.


The proudly pious
stuff their cups with parchment
and critique the taste of ink


while God pours light


and the trees lift their limbs
without worry of redemption,
every blossom a chalice.


Hafiz, seduce those withered souls
with words that wet their parched lips


as light
pours like rain
into every empty cup
set adrift on the Infinite Ocean.


~ Hafiz ~

Advent in the Christian tradition is a season of preparation and remembrance of the coming of Jesus into this time and space. It is a time for me to ponder the birth of Jesus and how He came to show me way to love and live in this world. It is also a time for allowing Jesus to come into my heart now. During this time and always the Divine “pours Light into my cup.”


The Advent season in my culture has become filled with commercial and social opportunities. The Covid-19 pandemic has put the brakes on much of the Christmas shopping activities and the face to face gatherings. However, zoom gatherings have stepped up to fill the gap. At last count I have five such gatherings this month. One can very quickly “stuff their cup with parchment and critique the taste of ink while God pours light.”
I am drawn to this poem by Hafiz because for so many years of my life during this season I was filling my cup with activities and finishing year end work assessments. I was trying to do Advent by myself with little to no thought of God’s grace and Light about me. I feel so blessed that God was continually filling my cup with Light even though I had truly little awareness. I am so thankful for all those who helped me to see the Light over the years.


I invite you to try a new spiritual practice this season as an Advent gift to yourself. Some possible ideas that come to my mind are taking some time for solitude and silence; trying a new way of praying, read some scripture; be a servant to God’s creatures and taking time to notice each day how “God is filling your cup.”

Richard Mickelson

Retreat House Director

Emily Turner