Harvard University Memorial Church

“Faith is not a question of the existence or non-existence of God. It is believing that love without reward is valuable.”  -Emmanuel Levinas

According to legend, Hezarfen Ahmed Celebi, an 17th century Ottoman aviator, was  inspired by Da Vinci’s sketches of human flight, and successfully created wings that allowed him to fly two miles without landing. At first, the Sultan Murad Khan was delighted and bestowed on Celebi glory and honor, but after listening to the murmurs of his advisors, decided that such a magician was dangerous and exiled him to Algeria where he quickly met his death. 

Marco Polo

Fredrik

Alhambra

Rumi 

John Dowland.

The Calling of St. Matthew

The wheels of heaven spin fitfully
Veiled behind constellations of silent
Elegies and invisible shrouds
And cries at midnight are swallowed up
Forever into the dark desert of sparkling sands
Yet still we sing;
For though we walk between the first garden and the falling stars
And though our paths are yet straight and our valleys yet high
We float from age to age and dust to dust
Restlessly thrust forward by the bright glory of endless pasts
And the brighter promise of awaiting splendor
Singing praise hymns to Earth’s sweet graces:
The lengthened day bearing tinted light;
The whispered dance of wind and trees;
The shy emergence of blossomed petals;
The trembling breath of a sleeping child;
And so we sing:
The voice in the wilderness calls out:
Look East, Look East!
Strained eyes seek rest on faint lines in the distance
While our souls are threshed and winnowed
Before the long-expected wedding feast
Yet, we drift in and out of hope like the tide upon a moon-pressed shore
Abiding in mystery and prelude and exile forever

Chartres Cathedral