Tuesday, December 12, 2006

I know not all of that which I contain


A poem by Madeleine L'Engle.

Young Mary

I know not all of that which I contain.
I'm small; I'm young; I fear the pain.
All is surprise; I am to be a mother.
That Holy Thing within me and no other
is Heaven's King whose lovely Love will reign.
My pain, his gaining my eternal gain.
My fragile body holds Creation's Light;
its smallness shelters God's unbounded might.
The angel came and gave, did not explain.
I know not all of that which I contain.

3 comments:

steve said...

Thanks for posting this poem, Mags. I really enjoyed it. It made me think both about Mary's experiences at the time -- and metaphorically about the possibility and potential inside all of us.

Magdalene6127 said...

Yes, that is how it struck me too... the awe of knowing God is present in/with us, the promise that (as in Ephesians) with God's power we can accomplish infinitely more than we can ask or imagine...

Iris said...

How beautiful. This is inspiring my sermon for Sunday!