The Gospel of Thomas: Logion 14

Yeshua says...

If you fast
you will only be giving birth to sin in yourself.
If you pray,
your prayers will come back to haunt you.
If you give to charity,
you will create evil within your own spirit.

If, however, you travel through a region
and they welcome you,
eat whatever is put in front of you,
and heal their sick.
For it is not what goes into your mouth which contaminates you,
but what comes out of it.

Steps of Love

The first step in love is losing your head.

After that, the petty ego,

you then give up your life and bear its calamities.

With this behind you, go, go…

polish the residue left upon the mirror of your heart.

—Fakhr al-Din Iraqi

The Gospel of Thomas: Logion 13

Yeshua asked his students,

Tell me, then, who am I like?

To whom will you compare me?

Simon Peter said, “You are like a just angel.”

Matthew said, “You are a philosopher of wisdom.”

Thomas said, “Master, I cannot find words

to express who you really are.”

Yeshua said, “Thomas, it is no longer necessary

for me to be your Master, for you are drinking

from the gushing spring I have opened for you,

and you have become intoxicated.”

Then Yeshua took Thomas aside

and spoke three sayings to him in private.

When Thomas returned to the company of his companions

they, of course, asked him,

“What did Yeshua say to you?”

“If I were to tell you

even one of the things he spoke to me,” Thomas replied,

“you would pick up these rocks and stone me,

and then fire would blaze out of them and burn you.”

Psalm 13

How Long?

1. How long will I feel this deep, deep sense of loss,

O God,

that I’m a forgotten one, abandoned and alone?

2. How long must I suffer this deep grief of soul,

this path of pain that fills my days

and all my nights?

How long will my enemies take advantage of my woe?

How long?

3. You, it seems, have turned your face away;

turn back, I pray, and answer me.

Fill up my eyes with light again,

before I fall asleep in death.

4. How long will all my foes prevail, rejoicing in my fate?

Let not my many failings be

their last and final word.

5. I’ve thrown everything I am and have

upon your mercy, Lord,

I’ve put my trust in you and in your loving care,

6. So at the last may my prayer be praise

for a mercy ever sure.

The Scent of Non-Being

Today I feel trapped,

tightly bound in the cage of my own existence.

I need the scent of you -—

beyond time,

beyond being --

to set me free.

So just for a moment

lend me the polish of your grace,

your presence,

so I can scour the rust from the mirror of my heart -—

my own deepest Reality.

—Shihab al-Din Yahya Suhrawadi

Psalm 12

1. Help us, Lord!

Where in this world has all the goodness gone?

2. Where are those who speak for truth, not lies?

It’s all flattery, smooth speech,

and double-heartedness.

3. O that you would cut loose these lying lips,

and gag the braggart’s mouth.

4. O that you would stop all those who think or say,

“I’ll take advantage with my tongue!

Who owns these lips but me?”

5. God says, it is for the poor and needy ones I come,

their cries of grief I hear.

I’ll rise for them and make a place of peace,

a place secure.

6. Your words, O God, are pure as silver refined from ore,

as good as gold, tried seven times in refiner’s fire.

7. Watch over us, protect us all,

in this sad world we pray,

8. Where evil rises up on every side,

and prowls the hidden alleys of the heart;

Where worthlessness is highly prized

and made the king of all.

Checkmate

You are the Sovereign, and you have checkmated every beautiful soul.

You are the Light, and all else are the rays of your Sun.

You are the Fire, and every created thing is your burning lamp.

You are the Essence, and this entire world is your living sign.

—Tuti Hamadani