April 05, 2006

St. Peter's Shadow

I came across this epigram by English poet Richard Crashaw

St. Peter's Shadow

Under thy shadow may I lurk awhile,
Death's busy search I'll easily beguile;
Thy shadow, Peter, must show me the Sun,
My light's thy shadow's shadow, or 'tis done.

I don't have much to say about this passage, other than I notice a certain resistance in myself towards believing the story ... not sure why.


1 comment:

Unknown said...

I think resistance can be very helpful in reading scripture. Something in you doesn't like what is in front of you. This may simply mean that your beliefs don't fit with the text. Identifying those beliefs may be helpful for your spiritual walk. they may be beliefs you are unaware you have.

But it may not be the beliefs. Causing resistance so much as the possibility of change. Does this story ask you to make changes in your life you don't feel ready for?

Questions. Questions. It is too easy to move away from resistance -- to reject the passage or to reject your belief/label yourself. But to paraphrase the poet, live with the resistances. Live the questions.