Tag Archives: Bible Verses

Art of Being — Being of Art

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My Symphony

To live content with small means.
To seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion.
To be worthy not respectable,
and wealthy not rich.
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently,
act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes,
and sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully,
do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.
By William Ellery Channing

The Robin

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Matthew 6:26  “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

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The robin hopped out of the hedgerow

To say “hello”.

He displayed his blood red breast

Head tilted and inquisitive.

He looked with meekness at

The giant that stood before him.

This little bird was bold in his quest for food.

Unafraid, he made his holy dance in the snow.

The prints of his path traced a pattern of expectant joy.

This little creature paused to look at me,

Utter reliant on what God supplies.

Were you there at Calvary, Robin?

Did you stop to gaze on Him who made you?

God knows.

This little icon of apostolic zeal brings warmth

To those who on Christmas day smile at his cheery coat.

Would that we too too could be such a disciple,

Living on God’s Providence.

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To the Glory of God

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“Love the One, so that even wild beasts will love you.”

Elder Amphilochios

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By Father Jonathan Hemmings

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To my little friend who so encouraged me on the Theotokos Nativity Forefeast!

Dawn

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16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:16-21)


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A Prayer at the Dawn of the Liturgical Year (2)

Today

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Today, my Lord, You stood in my soul,

Stood in my soul, so much amiss.

A fresh opportunity to offer,

A hand to raise me from the abyss.

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Who can be poorer than me, my Master?

Broken? Captive? More wounded, or blind?

O, whose footsteps stray faster?

In egoism and in sin?

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Many a time have I heard  Thy promise,

Many a time Your grace missed.

And, all the time, You stood there,

My offence in the midst.


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Today, my Lord, You stood in my soul,

You stood there, in front of me,

Ransom to offer to your Bride,

 Too Costly a price to pay Thee.

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May I acquiesce long-suffering Jesus,

In Consecration my pledge renew.

Might my ears mystically hear,

“This scripture today to you came true”

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Insp. from The Year of Grace of the Lord, by A Monk of the Eastern Church (Lev Gillet)

Year of Grace

Upon Entering the Year of Grace

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“And they shall build the old wastes,

they shall raise up the former desolations,

and they shall repair the waste cities,
the desolations of many generations.” (Isaiah 61:4)

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A Prayer at the Dawn of the Liturgical Year (I)

Lord, Help me my Life Declutter 

Relentlessly Focus, Subtract, Become poor

Unburden, Curtail, Reduce and Empty, 

Until my rebellious bones sore.

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May My Waste be Salvaged this Year

 Never again pride and sin bind me,

Redeemer, Almighty, my Lord and my Master

Teach me this year to kneel before Thee!

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Amen, Amen, Amen!