MARCH 2017

in my VIEW
‘There’s a crack in everything’
There’s a story from
Buddhism about
a young man who
had lost his leg and was
struggling emotionally.
He went to a Buddhist
monastery seeking guidance
and refuge. He was
extremely angry at life
and always drew pictures
of cracked vases. Over
time, he found inner
peace at the monastery.
While his outlook on life began to
change and improve, he still drew
broken vases. His master asked him
one day: “Why do you still draw
a crack in the vases? Are you not
whole?” He replied, “yes, and so are
the vases. That’s how the light gets
in.”
One of the central themes of
Pope Francis’ pontificate is that of
“hope.” He often quotes the book
MICHAEL G.
SARAFA
SPECIAL TO THE
CHALDEAN NEWS
of Roman that “hope does
not disappoint.” But,
rather, optimism disappoints.
This may seem
rather gloomy but Francis
conducts his ministry
from a place of realism.
I think this Pope understands
intuitively that
true faith often comes
from a starting point of
difficulties and challenges.
The Pope has been
critical in the past of “those who
hide in the Church” or are “couch
Christians.”
In a recent homily, he said this:
“No one learns to hope alone and
those who isolate themselves in
their wellbeing know no hope;
their only hope is in welfare and
that is not hope: it is false security”.
Instead, the Pope says that “those
who hope are those who experience
trials, uncertainty and their own
limitations every day.”
Enter Leonard Cohen, the poet,
composer and musician who recently
died. Cohen was born Jewish,
studied Buddhism and drew
much from the Christian faith for
his music and poems. I’ve taken the
One of the central
themes of Pope
Francis’ pontificate
is that of “hope.”
occasion of his death to familiarize
myself with his work. He started
his career as a writer and much later
began composing and performing
his own material. He became
known as sort of a philosopher and
much of his focus was on religion,
spirituality, politics and love. One
of his compositions, called Anthem,
seems to draw from his connection
to several religions including
a reference to holy doves. The
refrain goes like this:
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in
The entire poem and musical arrangement
can be heard on YouTube
if you search “Cohen Anthem.” It’s
really nice. It struck a chord with
me and might with you too.
If your life is a little cracked, or
you’re not feeling entirely whole, remember,
that’s how the light gets in.
Then, recognizing one’s own limitations
and uncertainties, ring that
bells that still can ring and move
forward.
8 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2017