October 26, 2012. Astorga Spain

My walk yesterday went nearly 19 miles through beautiful terrain with signs of autumn. It is ironic that all the bright colors of the leaves are all there underneath the surface..."under" the ordinary green. The colors surface when the sunlight changes angles in early fall and is no longer as direct and powerful. For just a brief time, nature is ablaze in multiple colors.
But in the spiritual life, the direct rays of God's Light allow our "true colors" to surface and often those colors aren't bright and beautiful but dark and lifeless. Yes, facing our true colors, allowing them to surface, is both joyful and painful. We are all a "mixture" of colors. But it is our relationship with God and his Love that transforms the lifeless colors into bright and beautiful ones.
Prayer illumines the human heart with the direct rays of the SON, who only wants to share with each and EVERY human being a spark of his divinity so that we are a ablaze in magnificent colors. What a glorious autumn this is. I miss the beautiful colors of the people of St Teresa of Avila. Buen camino. Padre