Though we speak much...

I read this the other day and thought it was amazing.

"Though we speak much we cannot reach the end,

and the sum of our words is: 'He is the all'."

Sirach 43:27

How beautiful!

Poem of the Week XCII

Easter

Joyce Kilmer

The air is like a butterfly

With frail blue wings.

The happy earth looks at the sky

And sings.

"Something strange is happening..."

Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday

Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

Miserere Mei, Deus

My favorite piece of music for the liturgy is the "Miserere Mei, Deus" from Psalm 51. (Not so-) coincidentally, Psalm 51, the first psalm for Morning Prayer today, is also my favorite psalm.

Here is a beautiful recording:

Poem of the Week XCI

The Donkey

G. K. Chesterton

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born;

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

News...

I have some GREAT news...

Yesterday I met with a student, Natalie, that I have been investing in for quite some time now. She's the best! She is from Minnesota and has become one of my sweetest friends here in Nashville.

We talked about being a little more intentional about our relationship and how she could invest in other students by leading a Bible Study next year. We talked about FOCUS discipleship and I concluded by asking her to be my disciple. Guess what? She said, "yes."

Praise the Lord!! He is so good, and He answers prayers.

Poem of the Week XC

Angel's Song

C. S. Lewis

I know not, I,

What the men together say,

How lovers, lovers die

And youth passes away.

Cannot understand

Love that moral bears

To native, native land,

All land are theirs;

Why at grave they grieve

For one voice and face,

And not, and not receive

Another in its place.

I above the cone

Of the circling night

Flying, never have know

Less or greater light.

Sorrow it is they call

This cup whence my lip

(Woe's me!) never in all

My endless days can sip.

Poem of the Week LXXXIX

All Ignorance Toboggans into Know

e. e. cummings

all ignorance toboggans into know

and trudges up to ignorance again:

but winter's not forever,even snow

melts;and if spring should spoil the game,what then?

all history's a winter sport or three:

but were it five,i'd still insist that all

history is too small for even me;

for me and you,exceedingly too small.

Swoop(shrill collective myth)into thy grave

merely to toil the scale to shrillerness

per every madge and mabel dick and dave

--tomorrow is our permanent address

and there they'll scarcely find us(if they do,

we'll move away still further:into now