Miriam – The Little Arab Girl
26. The Song of the Desert and the Dew. – Seeing myself as a barren land, I called out desperately to the Lord and said:
Lord, my land is dry and scorched:
send your moisture upon it.My body is decaying,
my legs can no longer carry me,
my hands can no longer move.My nerves are numb,
my bones are dry,
the marrow of my bones is rotting.The hair on my head is stiff,
all are bristled and prick like needles.My ears are shut
so tightly that I cannot hear.The fire goes out of my eyes
and they no longer see the light.My nose is blocked,
my tongue is stuck to my palate
and I cannot utter a word,
to cry out earnestly to You.My teeth are clenched tightly,
that air cannot pass through them
and I am dying.My lips are so cracked from the heat,
that I can no longer move them,
to call on You for help.
Lord, send your moisture on this barren land
and it will come to life again.
* * *
After Holy Communion, Jesus visited His land and I sang:
The Lord visited His land,
and from dry and scorched, as it was,
it became fruitful and fertile in His presence.
The Lord's rain came,
grass and greenery sprouted.The tree I leaned on,
sweetened like a palm.Strength returned to me;
my hands and feet could support me.My body is now like a child's body,
my nerves came to life.My bones were strengthened,
the marrow of my bones is like a tasty dish.My hair softened,
flowing down my head.My ears opened,
to hear the sweet words of the Lord.My tongue was loosened,
to sing praises!Sweet dew refreshed my lips,
my mouth opened a little
and let air flow, so I could breathe freely.My parched lips softened,
so I could sing a song of thanks to the Lord.My nose opened
and inhaled the sweet fragrance of the Beloved.My whole body rested
and was strengthened ...
27. The Song of Wings and Flowers. – I will catch the wings of my Savior. I see the whole land blessing me. Oh! How sweet it is to be yours, my Savior! Your name is great; it fills the heavens. Everything praises You and is filled with joy in Your presence. My wings for flight were given to me by my Savior. His gaze looked with compassion upon my soul. He gave me wings, through which I flew. Deep was the abyss in which I found myself; and the Lord took me from it. From that day on, I am forever in His embrace. Happy day: may it never end! ... The Lord took me to His homeland. What do you say, inhabitants of the land? He gives me wings for flight; He gives me thousands of flowers to scatter along the path I see; He placed a basket of flowers in my hands; all my friends can gather them. I scattered them along the path; friends and foes rushed to get them. He gave me wings for flight and a basket of flowers upon my knees. Heaven and earth smiled with their immaculate smile...
Translated from Italian by P. Jindřich Zdík Charouz, O.Praem.
To be continued in the next issue
