Ps 104:3 On the waters you establish your dwelling.
You make the clouds your chariot;
you ride on the wings of the wind
Spring (Hopkins)
Nothing is so beautiful as spring--
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.
What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.--Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
Meditation
In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed, “seeds of peace and hope.” The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Spirit of God can make an arid and parched desert into a garden, a place of rest and serenity. In his words, “a spirit from on high will be poured out on us, and the wilderness will become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the work of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Is32:15-18).(Pope Leo XIV)
Musical Selection(F. S. Pierpoint, 1835–1917, slightly altered)
For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to thee we raise This our joyful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon and stars of light:
For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child, Friends on earth, and friends above, For all gentle thoughts and mild:
For each perfect gift of thine To our race so freely given, Graces human and divine, Flowers of earth and buds of heaven:
Prayer
O merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the
needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful
for your loving providence; and remembering the account
that we must give one day, grant that we may be faithful
stewards of your good gifts; through Jesus Christ our
Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
