1
Though you may learn to speak fluently in the language of the human experience, the physical world,
or perhaps even the language of the transcendent,
powerfully articulating the spiritual field of omens and patterns,
it will all be rendered meaningless noise
if your words lack the insight that can only be granted by unity with Perfect Love.
2
Though you may devise systems with which to record, analyze, and perfect the art of understanding all things, known and unknowable;
Though you may gain the gift of perfectly accurate prophecy;
Though you may even refine the practice of holding Perfect Faith to a level so masterful, that matter itself would bend along the contours of your will with a simple prayer;
Though you may perform all of these miracles, if you fail to embody the ultimate Truth of Perfect Love, you are nothing.
3
Though you may give all of your money and possessions to the poor,
and even lay your physical body on the altar as a sacrifice for the sake of the helpless,
none of this will grant you knowledge of, and unity with, the Truth of Perfect Love.
4
The Truth of Perfect Love
is eternal suffering,
eternal kindness,
devoid of envy,
devoid of pride.
5
It does not posture itself,
and it is not reactive,
it simply is.
6
It is not vindictive,
it simply satisfies itself
as inevitability.
7
The Truth of Perfect Love
is affectionately and infinitely
bearing every burden,
enduring every hardship,
placing belief in all things,
placing hope in all things,
and joyfully experiencing all things.
8
Though prophecy shall fail,
language shall wither away,
and all of human intelligence will vanish like a forgotten memory,
The Truth of Perfect Love will remain, eternal.
9
For we can study and understand only a glimpse of That Truth,
and we can only prophecy based upon our current framework.
10
But when it is our turn
for The Truth of Perfect Love to come to us,
our glimpses,
our predictions,
even our precious framework,
will seem to turn to dust.
11
When you were a child
you saw the world through a child's eyes
and used a child's vocabulary,
but when you became an adult
you abandoned your childlike framework.
This is just as it will be then,
when The Truth of Perfect Love comes to you.
12
For now, we all see through a glass, darkly.
Perception, a murky window,
catching mirrored traces of our reflection,
as we watch the blurry World dance with the blurry Truth in the dark.
For now, we know only in glimpses.
But hark! Then! When Perfect Truth comes to us!
Then we will Know Fully,
as we are Fully Known.
13
For now, we need only these 3,
Faith, Hope, and Love.
But the greatest of these, is Love.
(02-10-2024, Inspired by Ghost in the Shell and Mary Oliver.)
1 Corinthians 13