Mystical Wisdom Poem by Liam ó Comáin

you want me to share your table
and i desire to respond
but the false layers within my
heart are a barrier to intimacy
like paul i experience myself
doing the opposite of what
i know to be true incapable
at times of overcoming
the pulls of my lower nature

in john of the cross you have
given me a sure guide to help
me ascend the mount for it is
a mountain the way of perfection
the way of humanisation
in the ascent he tells us of how
ardous the journey is and of what
we can do to become new men
and women
firstly we must be enamoured with
you in love

in loving you through faith you
grant us the grace
of experiencing the dark night
which is the way of union
and although i resist you
in my weakness you purify
me in the darkness
by faith alone i accept it
a process of interiorisation
is constantly in progress

the night shows that our problems
arises not from the external world
but from within ourselves
in order to build up ourselves we
must realise the purification of
our senses and our imperfections
john's image of the wood in the
fire implies that you change our
very being not just our behaviour

the wisdom of the ascent and the
dark night show that our very hearts
need to be changed and only you
and you alone can do this