Prayers and Poems

A prayer as Lent begins
Man's desire
The Love that gives love
Winter and Spring
Before me
In the Wood
A Child's Morning Prayer

A prayer as Lent begins

Let me hold fast to you, beautiful Lord, whom the angels themselves yearn to look upon. Wherever you go, I will follow you. If you pass through fire, I will not flinch, I fear no evil when you are with me. You carry my grief’s, because you grieve for my sake. You passed through the narrow doorway from death to life, to make it wide enough for all to follow. Nothing can ever now separate me from your love.

Bernard of Clairvaux 1090 -1153

Man's desire

If only I possessed the grace, good Jesus, to be utterly at one with you! Amidst all the variety of worldly things around me, Lord, the only thing I crave is unity with you. You are all my soul needs. Unite, dear friend of my heart, this unique little soul of mine to your perfect goodness. You are all mine; when shall I be yours? Lord Jesus, my beloved, by the magnet of my heart; clasp, press, unite me for ever to your sacred heart. You have made me for yourself; make me one with you. Absorb this tiny drop of life into the ocean of goodness whence it came.

Francis of Sales 1567 – 1622

The Love that gives love

Jesus Christ, the love that gives love,
You are higher than the highest star;
You are deeper than the deepest sea;
You cherish us as your own family;
You embrace us as your own spouse;
You rule over us as your own subjects;
You welcome us as your dearest friend.
Let all the world worship you.

Hildegard of Bingen 1098 – 1179

Winter and Spring

Lord, end my winter, and let my spring begin. I cannot with all my longings raise my soul out of her death and dullness, but all things are possible with thee. I need celestial influences, the clear shinings of thy love, the beams of thy grace, the light of thy countenance; these are the Pleiades to me. I suffer much from sin and temptation, these are my wintry sings, my terrible Orion. Lord, work wonders in me, and for me.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1834 – 1892

Before me

Before me be thou a smooth way,
Above me be thou a star-guide,
Behind me O be thou keen-eyed,
For this day, this night, and for aye.

I weary and heavy am driv'n,
Lead me on to the angels' place;
'Twere time now I went for a space
To Christ's court and the peace of heav'n;

If only thou, God of life, give
Smooth peace for me, at my back near,
Be as star, as helmsman to steer,
From smooth rest till rising I live.
From Poems of the Western Highlanders

In the Wood

Cold winter's in the wood,
 I saw him pass
Crinkling up fallen leaves
 Along the grass.

Bleak winter's in the wood,
 The birds have flown
Leaving the naked trees
 Shivering alone.

King Winter's in the wood,
 I saw him go
Crowned with a coronet
 Of crystal snow.

Eileen Mathias

A Child's Morning Prayer

Look down on me, a little one,
Whose life on earth is but begun:
 Dear Saviour, smile on me.

Watch over me from day to day,
And when I work, or when I play,
 Dear Saviour, smile on me.

Help me to do Thy holy will,
With lovely thoughts my mind to fill:
 Dear Saviour, smile on me.

J Kirby

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