Caryll Houselander (1901-1954) was an English religious writer, very popular in England, but completely unknown in Spain. She has been translated for the first time into Spanish by Enrique Naval: it is about her book The reed of God [The Reed of Godwritten in 1944 (Rialp, 2023). The title refers to Mary, who is the reed of God, because "she was like a reed flute through which eternal love was to sound like a shepherd's song." (p. 21).
Houselander was baptized at age six as a Catholic along with her mother, but in her youth she broke away from the Church and explored other religious traditions. "He returned to the Catholic Church at age 25 with a passionate intensity and continued to work as an artist, while writing books and providing spiritual guidance and counseling." (p. 194).
Throughout his life he had various mystical experiences that led him to discover Christ in others: "We must let Christ grow in us as he did in Mary. And we must be aware that whatever grows in silence in us is Christ growing in us. We have to let thoughts, words and songs grow slowly and develop in us in the darkness." (p. 67).
In the presence of God
When looking at this book, the reader immediately notices the very special tone of Houselander's voice that conveys his personal experience of God and the supernatural order. "Right now, as I write these words." -she gushes from her pen in the midst of World War II- "Every country in the world spends all its time and energy on killing. Young men are on the battlefield or in warships or bombers or preparing for war drills. Millions and millions of pounds go into building weapons to kill, not once in a while, but daily. Hunger sets in or grows in country after country. Children are lying in the streets. Knowing with terrible wisdom that the end has come, they cover themselves in rags and prepare to die. In the face of all this, I sit here in a bombed-out city, and say that a young woman two thousand years ago gave herself to God, and [that] man's nature can be constantly renewed, live an ever young life, and that all carry into the world, not death, but the miraculous life of the Spirit: all as bearers of Christ to the world." (p. 85).
Caryll Houselander is not a 'mystic' removed from the world, but her prayer and writing are rooted in her life: "In reality it is through ordinary life and through everyday things that our union with God takes place." (p. 26). Elsewhere he qualifies precisely that "what we will be asked to do is to give to God our flesh and blood, our daily life: our thoughts, our service to others, our affections and loves, our words, our intelligence, our walking, working and sleeping, our daily joys and sorrows." (p. 36). And a few pages earlier: "What she [the Virgin] did and does is the only thing that all of us must do, that is, to give birth to Christ in the world. Christ is to be born in every soul, to be formed in every life. (p. 16)".
Poetic force
The poetic force of Houselander's writing is very impressive, with brief paragraphs, some of them very brief, but with a strength and force that awaken the soul. Undoubtedly, it brings to mind that definition of poetry as "a few true words"which Machado expressed with great simplicity (GalleriesXXXXVIII). The reader perceives that what this author writes is true in its most radical, most vital sense. Houselander is not describing a theory, but her experience of God: "It's amazing to think that God is really present in me. (...). This act of faith gives peace. It silences the noise of distraction, the noise of fear. It is the stillness of the waters" (p. 153). "As he is in our little house we will learn to control our minds, to silence our thoughts crowning them with peace." (p. 154).
Such intimate dealings with God do not eliminate worldly concerns or personal limitations. Sometimes tiredness or suffering are so intense that they prevent us from doing more, but the feeling that God is in us will always be a source of great consolation: "It is useless to flagellate a tired mind, useless to reproach a tired heart. The only way to God when we are exhausted is a simple act of faith without words (...) The awareness of God's presence in us makes us avoid all distractions and destructive preoccupations such as self-pity, anxiety and irritability towards others." (p. 154). In fact, for Caryll Houselander there is only one cure: trust in God, an absolute trust that will not free us from suffering, but it will free us from anxiety, doubt and above all from fear.
Good humor
Houselander was a strong advocate of love informed by humility, suffering, patience-which brings the patience of Christ into the world-and good humor. As stated in the brief biographical profile which closes The reed of God, was especially gifted at working with people suffering from emotional wounds and was able to heal deeply troubled people. "She loved them until they regained their health."said English psychiatrist Eric Strauss. Serving God and others with good humor became the hallmark of Caryll Houselander (p. 194).
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