The First Spring Day

I wonder if the sap is stirring yet,
If wintry birds are dreaming of a mate,
If frozen snowdrops feel as yet the sun
And crocus fires are kindling one by one:
Sing, robin, sing:
I still am sore in doubt concerning Spring.

I wonder if the springtide of this year
Will bring another Spring both lost and dear;
If heart and spirit will find out their Spring,
Or if the world alone will bud and sing:
Sing, hope, to me;
Sweet notes, my hope, soft notes for memory.

The sap will surely quicken soon or late,
The tardiest bird will twitter to a mate;
So Spring must dawn again with warmth and bloom,
Or in this world, or in the world to come:
Sing, voice of Spring,
Till I too blossom and rejoice and sing.

--Christina Rosetti (1830-1894)

Those hours, that with gentle work did frame (Sonnet V)

Those hours, that with gentle work did frame
The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell,
Will play the tyrants to the very same
And that unfair which fairly doth excel:
For never-resting time leads summer on
To hideous winter and confounds him there;
Sap cheque'd with frost and lusty leaves quite gone,
Beauty o'ersnow'd and bareness every where:
Then, were not summer's distillation left,
A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass,
Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft,
Nor it nor no remembrance what it was:
     But flowers distill'd though they with winter meet,
     Leese but their show; their substance still lives sweet.

-- William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

The Absorbeat

May the power of your love, Lord Christ,
fiery and sweet as honey,
so absorb our hearts
as to withdraw them from all that is under heaven.
Grant that we may be ready
to die for love of your love,
as you died for love of our love.
Amen.

--medieval prayer said by St. Francis

Fidele's Dirge

Fear no more the heat o’ the sun
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone and ta’en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o’ the great,
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash
Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finish’d joy and moan:
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renowned be thy grave!

--William Shakespeare (1564-1616), from Cymbeline, Act IV, Scene 2

Prayer for Discipleship

Lord Jesus, as you still come to us, an eternal presence walking upon the moving waters of time, help us to recognize your aproach and come to you. Give us the faith and the courage to do things your way, even in these storm-tossed days when so many cry out for security or vengeance, or keep their mouths shut when they should speak. Help your people to be done with the old motivations, the sad, sin-scarred reactions of which we say, 'After all, it's only human nature, isn't it?' Let your Spirit lift us on to new levels of vision and forgiveness and trust, so that your church may show the world once again what it really means to be human.

In your name who are forever the Man of Nazareth and Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ our Lord.

-- Caryl Micklem and Roger Tomes, Prayer 119 from Contemporary Prayers for Church and School, 1975

Traditional Irish blessing, expanded

Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you.
May the road rise to meet you;
May the wind be always at your back;
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
May the rains fall softly upon your fields.
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Jubilate (Psalm 100)

All the earth cries out with joy to you,
serving you with gladness;
coming before you, singing for joy.
You, Creator of all, are God.
You made us; we belong to you.
We are your people, the sheep of your flock.
We go within your gates giving thanks,
entering your courts with songs of praise.
We give thanks to you and bless your name,
Indeed how good you are, O God,
eternal in your merciful love.
You are faithful from age to age.

--from the Community of St. Francis Office Book

Benediction

May the beauty of God
be reflected in your eyes,
the love of God
be reflected in your hands,
the wisdom of God
be reflected in your words,
and the knowledge of God
flow from your heart,
that all might see,
and seeing,  believe

John Birch, http://www.faithandworship.com/blessings_and_benedictions.html#ixzz4qjUOuv7c 

Crazy Jane on God

That lover of a night
Came when he would,
Went in the dawning light
Whether I would or no;
Men come, men go;
All things remain in God.

Banners choke the sky;
Men-at-arms tread;
Armoured horses neigh
In the narrow pass:
All things remain in God.

Before their eyes a house
That from childhood stood
Uninhabited, ruinous,
Suddenly lit up
From door to top:
All things remain in God.

I had wild Jack for a lover;
Though like a road
That men pass over
My body makes no moan
But sings on:
All things remain in God.

--William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

Prayer of St. Aiden of Landisfarne

Landisfarne (Holy Island)

Leave me alone with God as much as may be.
As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore,
Make me an island, set apart,
alone with you, God, holy to you.

Then with the turning of the tide
prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond,
the world that rushes in on me
till the waters come again and fold me back to you.

Landisfarne Priory and labyrinth

Community of Aiden and Hilda daily prayers
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