TAKE THEM EARTH FOR CHERISHING

Tags

Music, photography, Poetry, Prudentius

Take them, earth, for cherishing,
To thy tender breast receive them.
Bodies of men and women we bring thee,
Noble even in their ruin.

Once were these a spirit’s dwelling
By the breath of God created.
High the heart that here was beating,
Christ the Prince of all their living.

Guard them well, the dead we give thee,
Not unmindful of God’s creature
Shall God ask it, God who made it
Symbol of God’s mystery.

Take them, earth, for cherishing.  .  .
Comes the hour God hath appointed
To fulfill the hope of all:
Then, must thou, in a very fashion,
What I give, return again.

Take them, earth, for cherishing.  .  .
Not though ancient time decaying
Wear away these bones to sand,
Ashes that we might measure
In the hollow of a hand.

Not, though wandering winds and idle
Drifting through the empty sky,
Scatter dust was nerve and sinew,
Is it given to us to die.

Once again the shining road
Leads to ample Paradise;
Open are the woods again,
That the serpent lost for men

Take, oh take them, mighty Leader
Take again thy servants’ souls
Grave their name and pour the fragrant
Balm upon the icy stone.

Take them, earth, for cherishing,
To thy tender breast receive them,
Bodies of men and women we bring thee,
Noble even in their ruin.

By the breath of god created
Christ the Prince of all their living.
Take them, earth, for cherishing.

~~Adaptation of “Take Him Earth For Cherishing”
By Prudentius (348-413) Christian Roman Poet
Translated by  Helen Waddell.
Adapted by Sarah Buxton-Smith, November 2001
(at that time Chaplain, House of Bishops Spouses)

This poem was set to music in the 1960s by Herbert Howells for a dual American-Canadian memorial service, held in Washington, to mark the first anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s death.  It’s been very popular in churches and concerts since.  Howells’s commission specified he could choose the text, and this is the poem he chose (in its original translated form “Take Him Earth for Cherishing”).  Howells had been aware of this poem at least since the death of his own (Howells’) son in the 1930s.  You can hear it here: Take Them Earth for Cherishing

The Run For the Roses

Tags

history, horses, Kentucky Derby

In 1970 (yes, I know, I’m dating myself), in the midst of my horse crazy years, my father gave me this little booklet prior to the Kentucky Derby that year. I remember we were houseboating that weekend and I had to listen to the Derby on my little electric blue transistor radio. Apparently, the booklet was an extra that came with the alcohol he had purchased:

Honestly, I’m not sure I was aware of that until I retrieved this booklet from my bookshelf earlier this week after hearing that Secretariat had won the virtual Kentucky Derby on May 2. I remember watching Secretariat win his Triple Crown back in 1973, and I believe he still holds the record winning race time of 1 minute, 59.4 seconds.

After I confirmed that I’d dutifully noted his win that year:

As I had every year through 1979 when I finally realized it was getting ridiculous and added some paper to make it all a little neater:

And then never noted another win. Why? Probably college, first job, marriage, childbirth, etc., etc. By 1979, I had carried The Run for the Roses with me from California to Mississippi and then to Georgia, Hawaii and back to Georgia. Since then, it has traveled with me through at least 15 more moves.

So, looking at it this week, I had to wonder–why? With the internet, I can now easily look up who is winning the Derbies if I haven’t had a chance to see any. And now with digital photos and a blog post, I have access to this little bit of my history for the foreseeable future. The booklet has now been placed in the so-called “circular file” and that is one less object that will have to be dealt with upon my death.

And that is definitely one of the bright sides of this pandemic–it has helped me to refocus on what is really important to me.

A Prayer for Our Uncertain Times

Tags

photography, Prayer

 

May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health and making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country, let us choose love.

And during this time when we may not be able to physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.  Amen.

~~Fr. Michael Graham, S.J.