I recently read an article in which the author argues that suffering is often a necessary part of Ignatian discernment. A painful situation spurs us on to make a change. Achieving the spiritual freedom necessary to choose well can be a wrenching and lengthy process.
That’s the theme of the song “Anthem,” written by Leonard Cohen. The chorus says that the flaw is where the light shines:
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
Full lyrics here. Here is the song performed by Cohen last year in London. It’s an amateur video but it’s the words that matter.
