TAKE THEM EARTH FOR CHERISHING

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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 Hills of God

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Christianity, God, Lent, photography, Poetry

From the Stations of the Cross atop Monserrate in Bogotá, Colombia.

And a poem by my great grandmother, Mary Griffin Kramp:

The Hills of God

Whence comes my help? The hills of God.
The fields and flowing streams,
The changing seasons with their wealth,
The rain and light that beams.

Whence comes my strength? The word of God.
With messages so dear:
The blessed thought that though we sin,
His help is ever near.

Whence comes my help? The promises
That e’er before me rise,
To know that after all this earth
We dwell in Paradise.

Whence comes my all? The gift of God,
Our blessed Saviour’s love.
His sacrifices, pain and tears,
To make our home above.

Generosity

Tags

Lent, photography, Poetry, religion

View from the South Mountain Trail in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo by Griffin Logue

During the third week of Lent, Frank and I focus on “Generosity” in A Spring in the Desert. In specific, we write about giving and tithes. We have chosen generosity as the opposite of covetousness, one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Covetousness covers a number of things that might not first come to mind when one considers this sin. According to the St. Augustine’s Prayer Book, these are:

COVETOUSNESS is the refusal to respect the integrity of other creatures, expressed in the inordinate accumulation of material things; in the use of other persons for our personal advantage; or in the quest for status, power or security at their expense.

Inordinate Ambition. Pursuit of status, power, influence, reputation, or possessions at the expense of the moral law, of other obligations, or of the rights of others. Ruthless or unfair competition. Putting self or family first. Conformity to standards we recognize as wrong or inadequate in order to get ahead. Intrigue or conspiracy for self-advancement.

Domination. Seeking to use or possess others. Over protection of children; refusal to correct or punish lest we lose their affection; insistence that they conform to our ideal for them contrary to their own vocation. Imposing our will on others by force, guile, whining, or refusal to cooperate. Over-readiness to advise or command; abuse of authority. Patronizing, pauperizing, putting others under a debt of gratitude, or considering ourselves ill-used when others’ affection or compliance is not for sale. Respect of persons, favoritism, partiality, flattery, fawning, or bribery to win support or affection. Refusal to uphold the truth to fulfill duties, to perform good acts, or to defend those wrongfully attacked, because we fear criticism or ridicule, or because we seek to gain the favor or approval of others. Leading, tempting or encouraging another to sin.

Avarice. Inordinate pursuit of wealth or material things. Theft, dishonesty, misrepresentation, or sharing in stolen goods. Cheating in business, taxes, school or games. Making worldly success the goal of our life or the standard for judging others.

Prodigality. Waste of natural resources or personal possessions. Extravagance or living beyond our income, to impress others or to maintain status. Failure to pay debts. Gambling more than we can afford to lose, or to win unearned profits. Unnecessary borrowing or carelessness with others’ money. Expenditure on self of what is needed for the welfare of others.

Penuriousness. Undue protection of wealth or security. Selfish insistence on vested interests or on claimed rights. Refusal to support or help those who have a claim on us. Sponging on others. Stinginess. Failure to give due proportion of our income to Church and charity, or of our time and energy to good works. Failure to pay pledges promised to the Church or charities, when able to do so.

Kind of eye-opening, isn’t it, especially considering it is just one of seven sins? If I am ever feeling a little holier than thou, all I have to do is open up the St. Augustine’s Prayer Book to the Self-examination, and I quickly regain some humility.

But the Third Week in Lent is about generosity and giving. I think this poem by the Poet Laureate of Arizona says it well:

When Giving Is All We Have

Alberto Ríos – 1952-

                                              One river gives
                                              Its journey to the next.

We give because someone gave to us.
We give because nobody gave to us.

We give because giving has changed us.
We give because giving could have changed us.

We have been better for it,
We have been wounded by it—

Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet,
Big, though small, diamond in wood-nails.

Its story is old, the plot worn and the pages too,
But we read this book, anyway, over and again:

Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,
Mine to yours, yours to mine.

You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.
Together we are simple green. You gave me

What you did not have, and I gave you
What I had to give—together, we made

Something greater from the difference.

 

The Second Week in Lent

Tags

Desert wisdom, Forgiveness, photography

The Elvis Presley Memorial Chapel at the Lost Dutchman Museum in Apache Junction, Arizona.

The lesson of not judging others is an incredibly difficult one to learn. It is human to struggle with being critical about others or to look down on those we deem to be spiritually or morally inferior. Unfortunately, it is impossible to fully love God and experience spiritual freedom if we do not love others, including our enemies, without any kind of judgment.

A lack of judgment, on the other hand, is not the same as discernment, which is a spiritual gift. For example, discernment might lead me to stop associating with someone who causes me to fall into some type of sin, either because of that person’s sinful habits or my own sinful inclinations. In not associating with that person, I do not condemn them, but rather I know it is not beneficial for me be with them.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:16 that we should “be wise as serpents (use discernment) and as innocent as doves (don’t judge or condemn people when we happen to notice their faults)”. An excellent start toward living into that is to prioritize not judging others. Using discernment will help us to realize our own sinfulness, which, in turn, will deepen our purity of heart. Being aware of our own sinfulness should help lead us to genuine repentance.

Interestingly, the New Testament Daily Office reading for Saturday was from Paul’s  First Letter to the Corinthians and spoke on this very thing. In Chapter 4 it reads: ³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. ⁴ I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵ Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.

This week in A Spring in the Desert, we write about “Forgiveness” and “Judgement”. Below, you will find some quotes from the Desert Fathers that address these subjects:

ISAAC THE THEBAN

One day Abba Isaac went to a monastery. He saw a brother committing a sin and he condemned him. When he returned to the desert, an angel of the Lord came and stood in front of the door of his cell, and said, ‘I will not let you enter.’

But Isaac persisted saying, ‘What is the matter?’

The angel replied, ‘God has sent me to ask you where you want to throw the guilty brother whom you have condemned.’

Immediately Isaac repented and said, ‘I have sinned, forgive me.’

Then the angel said, ‘Get up, God has forgiven you. But from now on, be careful not to judge someone before God has done so.’

THEOPHILUS THE ARCHBISHOP

Theophilus was asked, ‘Father, in this way of life which you follow, what do you find to be best?’

Theophilus replied, ‘The act of accusing myself, and of constantly reproaching myself to myself…There is no other way but this.’

MOSES THE BLACK

If we are on the watch to see our own faults, we shall not see those of our neighbor…To die to one’s neighbor is this: To bear your own faults and not to pay attention to anyone else wondering whether they are good or bad. Do no harm to anyone, do not think anything bad in your heart towards anyone, do not scorn the man who does evil…Do not rail against anyone, but rather say, ‘God knows each one.’ Do not agree with him who slanders, do not rejoice at his slander, and do not hate him who slanders his neighbor.

POEMEN

A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent; that is, he says nothing that is not profitable.

Noli Pater Indulgere

Tags

Poetry, Prayer, Saint Columba

Father, keep under the tempest and thunder,
Lest we should be shattered by Thy lightning’s shaft scattered.
Thy terrors while hearing, we listen still fearing,
The resonant song of the bright angel throng.
As they wander and praise Thee, shouts of honour still raise Thee.
To the King ruling right, Jesus, lover and light.

~~Saint Columba

The Lord’s Ways

Tags

Herrens Veje, religion, Television

Or “Herrens Veje” in Danish.  Herrens Veje is the name of a 2-season show we just finished on Netflix, which is so complex that I cannot do it justice here, but I’ll still say a few things, including: I highly recommend it.

The wall of photos in the rectory of Johannes Krogh.

An unassuming photo, perhaps, as many of us line our walls with photos (and/or paintings) of our ancestors. But, I agree with Frank that this wall of photos and paintings is extremely important as it summarizes what is going on in the show from the first episode to the last.

And that is the fact that Johannes Krogh (Lars Mikkelson, Mads older brother and currently on “The Witcher”) is being crushed beneath the weight of his history. The family of priests trace their lineage all the way back to N.F.S. Gruntvig, a Danish pastor who is one of the most influential persons in Danish history–someone that none of them have been able to live up to.

Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872)

IMDB summarizes the show this way: The story centers on a family of priests: Johannes, Elisabeth and their sons August and Christian. Johannes is God-like to his sons – he gives, loves, and punishes. His favoritism for August and his disappointment with Christian forces both into making desperate choices in order to either gain his love or break free from him.

A rare moment of family togetherness.

Obviously, it’s more complex than that, and August and Christian aren’t the only ones struggling, because Johannes and Elisabeth are struggling as well, as are many of the people closest to them. I cried a lot during this show because it was all so painfully real.

And, one of the best things about this show is how all the religions/philosophies–from atheist and agnostic to Christian to Buddhist and Muslim–are treated equally as are the characters who struggle within the bounds of their own philosophies and religions.

One of my favorite parts of each episode is the beautiful rendition of the hymn–God Moves in a Mysterious Way–which was borrowed from William Cowper’s poem, “Light Shining Out of Darkness.”

The first stanza . . .

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

. . . also sums up the show pretty well. And the English name for the show is taken from the last line–Ride Upon the Storm.

William Cowper by George Romney

Cowper, 1731-1800, has a fascinating history of his own including a friendship with John Newton that led to a number of anti-slavery poems. He also suffered from deep depressions and attempted suicide several times and was even institutionalized for insanity. And yet, he was highly respected by other poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth and is responsible, because of the above poem/hymn, for introducing the phrase, “God works in mysterious ways”, into the English language.

And after the final episode of Herrens Veje, I had to agree. God does move in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.