The Prophet

"Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for Gods sacred feast. All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Lifes heart. But if in your fear you would seek only loves peace and loves pleasure, Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of loves threshing floor, Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears."

"When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God." And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course."

"Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentime filled with your tears... When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."

"Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. And he is your board and your fireside. For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace."

"Could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy; and you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields."

"Of time you would make a stream upon whose bank you would sit and watch its flowing. Yet the timeless in you is aware of lifes timelessness, And knows that yesterday is but todays memory and tomorrow is todays dream."

"And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit. For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught."

"And that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space."

"The deeper sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain."

"For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning."

"Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself, Love possesses not nor would it be possessed: For love is sufficient unto love."

"Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate loves ecstasy; to return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips."