The Baby Sermon

The lightning and thunder
They go and they come:
But the stars and the stillness
Are always at home.

When we are faced with storm and strife, how do we return to a sense of serenity? MacDonald’s poem may be the antidote we seek.

The title combines both innocence and wisdom in a way reflected by the text itself. MacDonald’s elegant four lines draw a simple but telling contrast between the passing violence of “lightning and thunder” and the unchanging peace of the “stars.”

The tempest is not merely elemental, however. It is symbolic of the trials and tribulations in our day-to-day life. A good friendship may suddenly sour, perhaps we lose our job, or maybe a loved one falls ill. At such times, it seems as if life will never improve, yet more often than not these crises do blow over. To our surprise, the light proves more permanent than the darkness.

We can trust that the “stars” and the “stillness” will always be there, no matter what. The alliteration of the two implies that they are twin souls—the outer and inner counterparts of a common reality. Indeed, if we take a moment to pause amid the bustling events of the day, we find ourselves in a timeless realm, untroubled by earthly concerns. Poetry too occupies that perpetual “home,” that hidden cloister.

MacDonald’s sermon is steeped in biblical tradition. Most strikingly, it alludes to Elijah straining to hear the voice of God in the wind, earthquake, and fire. Yet it is only in the silence that the prophet hears the still, small voice of his creator. The poem also recalls the moment when Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs to “such as these”—pointing to the children his disciples have tried to elbow aside.

However, MacDonald’s words reach out beyond their time into ours, and ask us to form our own associations. I am reminded, for instance, of T. S. Eliot’s description of the “still point at the center of the turning world.” The title and imagery also make me think of the jaw-dropping final shot of "2001: A Space Odyssey," in which we see the next stage of human evolution as a gargantuan baby against a backdrop of stars.

For me, the poem also touches on a practical technique in meditation: to observe the lightning flashes of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, but not to hold onto them. By doing so, we realize how quickly they come and go, and anxiety melts into deep calm.

In fact, repeating the poem to ourselves may bring us solace in moments of worry and stress. Returning to the rhythms of our breath restores us to our peace of mind, our confidence, and our abiding source of inspiration. The words bring us home.

George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish author, poet, and minister, who is most famous for his children’s book "The Princess and the Goblin."

Christopher Nield is a poet living in London.