I first came across this inspiring site a few months ago. Aptly named, "Reflections" is the personal blog of Vincent Esprit - poet, author and priest. Vincent's poetry is raw, touching and sublime, (Yes, I said 'sublime'!) and it was his beautiful poems that first had me interested in reading further. I am glad I did. He also posts in prose form - again, in a very personal and touching way - about issues of faith and spirituality. Although I am not a Catholic, I have found in Vincent's writing the refreshing elements of truth and inspiration that surely must flow from a heart in tune with God.
So, with that introduction, I am very honored to have Vincent visit my humble blog today!
Your blog is aptly called ‘Reflections’. Tell us a little more of what you hope to share on your blog.
Thank you very much Tracy for speaking with me on your blog. I was so impressed with your site. It is so interesting, informative and welcoming. It has that ‘ladies touch” to it. Congratulations! Thanks for the article on your mum…it was filled with spontaneity and life! Reflections is simply geared at helping us to stop and evaluate our lives. It has to be done at some point, so why not at this moment? Another emphasis of this blog is motivation and inspiration. Disappointments and problems are not the end. Life is not determined by the problems we face, but by our ability to deal with them and to continue living.
Do you have a book that is soon to be released, or has it been released already? If so, tell us more about it.
I am working on a “100 Ways to feel Inspired.” Thank you so much for this opportunity. I have completed the editing stage and its now going into the marketing phase. I have been working with an agent. It is really a learning phase, which is slow and steady. It has also been an opportunity to learn the steps in publication. The book is a compilation of simple reflections that do inspire and thus it is called: “100 Ways to Feel Inspired.” After being a teacher for nine years and being in a religious congregation (FMI, Sons of Mary Immaculate) for just over seventeen years; it is a compilation of about 26 years of service to humanity. I really felt the desire to put this work out in print. I thank the Lord for this inspiration and the numerous people who requested its printing. This is nothing compared to the men and women who have given their lifetime unnoticed and noticed to the creation of a better world. I would particularly like to take time to remember our parents or loved ones, or even strangers who have had such a lasting effect on our lives. I hope to publish a second part after this first publication. I think most of us can find ourselves in this book of simple yet profound reflections.
As a Catholic priest, how has your faith helped you write, or conversely, how has your writing helped your faith?
Tracy this is an excellent question. Thank you so very much for asking. Yet it is not easy to explain. I will tell you one thing, Tracy. I am still discovering God’s plan for me within my congregation of Priests. I love the Lord and the universal church - diversified and true - that he has left us in this world. All churches have an indispensible role to play in “lighting” the world. As Christians, we are the light of the world. A light that is not perfect. A light that constantly needs to be purified. A light that is threatened by so many moments of darkness. We may be touched but this light cannot be extinguished….and so my faith keeps me going. The meditational and prayer aspects do contribute to my inspiration to write. The reverse is also true. As I write (and I am sure this happens to you and probably all artists - for writers are artists), I tend to clarify certain aspects of the faith and my love for God and his beautiful world. The pain for me remains; the tensions that exist between various religious beliefs. If only we could see beyond these beliefs and see the “Human God” in Jesus who incarnated himself in our world, what a joy that would be! However, we live in hope, don’t we? Oh yes we do! I ramble too much, Tracy. You have to stop me.
Rambling is okay! You are also a poet. Would you share one of your poems here?
Thank you Tracy for this opportunity to share this piece. What a noble and humble art is poetry!In this poem, I have tried to capture the images of “separation” that happens to us daily. This is not limited to romantic relationships. It is part of the human condition.
Separation
I try to say the words,
That would have you to stay,
I try to touch you with my eyes,
Hoped years of bliss you would foretell,
That you would say
The words that I longed for,
I knew this moment would come,
For from the last bend,
Its presence showed its face,
I tried to ignore the truth,
Its persistency I could not deter,
This moment is here,
And I shudder in fear,
My eyes the door can’t behold,
Nor can my ears its cracking sound take,
Where will I find the strength,
To see you back one last time.
Should I step forward,
Your advance will be quicker,
Should I step backward,
Your advance may be slower,
In any case I am yet closer,
As I grapple with this passing hour.
I am bound to this wall,
As my life to the floor crumples,
Helplessly I stand,
As darkness clouds my world,
My voice is weak,
As I struggle to mutter the words,
Please don’t go...
To death’s ear they fall,
As your mind is set,
My sight becomes gloomy,
As they seek refuge in tears,
Not even the salt in which they live,
Can be my source of strength,
What is the point in delaying this hour,
For before your will I am hopeless,
I have to let go,
For one last moment,
Your embrace I would keep,
I reach out to touch you,
Just to say good bye,
My eyes did greet your gaze,
But the coldness in which they lived,
Rendered me numb,
The energy in my arms,
Which sought refuge in your embrace,
As the receding tide,
Drained out from my body,
I knew then it was the end,
I had done my part,
Your heart could not find the space,
To harbour my plea to forgive,
I had done you wrong,
The past cannot be redone,
My eyes were shut,
As I felt your hands on my cheek,
It was all,
As the door cracked,
And into the night you had gone.
Slowly I lifted my head,
I could still breathe...
This sounds a lot like a song lyric. What inspires you to write?
Tracy you ask so many great questions. What inspires me to write?... My prayer life, celebrating the Mass, things I hear and see in interaction with people, my friends, my small room in Paris, “the thought of writing”, and challenging and painful situations. Some inspirations cannot be explained…..They are just known when experienced!
What inspired you to become a priest?
I love the Lord and his people. However, my family especially, my mum, planted this seed in me. She loved the Lord and showed it. She led the Choir in the tiny village church where we grew up on the island of Dominica. This was my birth of discovering Jesus in the church. My dad’s faith is is internal. He always challenged my mum that her faith was weak and his was stronger when she complained. God called her home a few weeks after I was ordained as a priest. My first mass was the last mass she attended in our village Church. I was ordained on 4 July. She breathed her last on 1st September of the same year. I found the strength in the Lord to do her funeral. This is still an emotional part of my life. May she rest in peace and may the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace! I thank the Lord for this strength. My dad still lives in the village. I continually thank the Lord for his presence.
You are originally from the Dominican Republic. Tell us a little more about your background and your life there.
I am from the Island of Dominica, which is very different from the Dominican Republic.(Tracy, you are already forgiven. If you were Catholic, you would have had to go to confession for this sin! I am only joking. It is good to laugh sometimes. We take life so seriously too many times.) In fact, they are both two republics found in the Caribbean. They are both two beautiful islands. However, the Dominican Republic to the north is Spanish and my little island to the south, between Martinique and Guadeloupe is English. We only have 70,000 people. I grew up on the Atlantic Coast in a small village called Castle Bruce. There we played cricket, bathed in the sea and rivers. Ate lots of mangoes, ripe bananas and coconuts as children, and visited the Hot Sulphur Springs on school excursions. At nights in the moonlight, we played games and listened to stories! These were glorious days of the past. This must have been the birth of my interest in writing. Thanks Tracy for allowing me to make this link. God’s blessings are yours!
Oops! My bad! Where do you reside now and what are you doing? What are your plans for the future?
Presently, I am residing in Paris doing some studies in theology. I am trying to learn more about the “sacraments (God’s love for us) of the church and how they can help us to overcome violence.” I thank God for my progress (surely with the French Language) and the lovely people he has placed in my path to assist. The professors have been very encouraging. The French people are loving and very kind. After my studies, I will return to the Caribbean. I want to continue writing and continue to serve the Lord in the church wherever I am asked.
Do you plan to continue to write?
Yes, this one does not even require an extra thought. I am looking forward to publishing some of my poetry sometime in the near future. I do quite a lot of reflection on “overcoming challenges in terms of Jesus Christ” and philosophy. The ideas do come in quickly but the actual writing does take time.
Do you have any unusual or humorous stories you can tell us about your life?
It is not humorous but unusual or maybe it is usual. Some people think that I am wasting my life as a priest. They will say with a smile, “Oh what a waste” - not in a harmful way. I just smile and I say they do not know, and they may never know, my joy in serving the Lord. It does have its challenges like all vocations and professions, but beneath these, an inner irreplaceable peace is found - a peace the world cannot give! It is by God’s grace and mercies we see another day. This is itself a blessing and a miracle.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I want to thank you for your time in allowing me to share with you and your readers. I pray that God will continue to bless you and your writings. I have enjoyed your blogs, especially the article on your mum “The Doreen Method – A Recipe for Life.” I have also bought your latest book “And the Beat Goes On”. I am awaiting it via the mail. I pray that humanity will grow to love each other and respect the differences in each person, for to be human is to be blessed with different personalities and gifts.
Thank you for sharing with us Vincent. May God's richest blessings by upon you!
For more inspirational words from Vincent Esprit, visit his blog at
http://www.esprit.aegauthorblogs.com/
