Reflections on a Starry, Starry Night

The Thomas Merton Center honors activists 
with Stars of Justice awards.
	Tonight we honor Sister Joan Chittister

"Our eyes register the light of dead stars."
So begins The Last of the Just, by Andre' Schwarz-Bart,
	a novel set in the Holocaust.

A star's light has traveled distances unimaginable
	through time as well as space.
And while we live, our eyes
	will both register and reflect old light from distant
             galaxies.  

“Our eyes register the light of dead stars.”
Some stars have gone nova.
	Some stars are 'now' dead.
About any sentient beings, and their struggles
	for justice, for life itself... we'll never know.

Our deeds reflect the distant deeds of others,
	and shine,
through the dark night, 
	despite fog or clouds.
Light and deeds link us
	with unknown beings on unknown planets.
Deeds penetrate, like neutrinos
	into the darkest mine and deepest dungeon,
Unseen perhaps, but never forgotten

This is a starry, starry night for our honorees.
This is an old night.

Our eyes register and reflect the stars' light,
	framed in interlocking leaves.
We can  look up and see
	not just darkness in these leaves.
On this night 
	by starlight
We see, above us, green.

On this night, I turn to Mary and say,
“Bright are your eyes in the dark.
Actively they reflect the stars' light.”