Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Impleta sunt, quæ concinit

David fideli carmine

Dicendo nationibus

Regnavit a ligno Deus.

All down the windy woods, along the throbbing hedge,

And in the starting sedge,

Yea, in all choirs and places where they sing,

I hear its growing cadences that ring:

Noblest of the processionals of earth,

The great Vexilla Regis of the spring:

And topping the soft hill

With sudden joy of emerald fluttering,

Against the sky's bright edge

I see the mighty banners of the King…

…Lo! on these eager branches shall be hung

That Life of which the woods have ever sung;

Making themselves soft harps for the hand o' the rain

To whisper of his pain,

And 'neath the poignant bowing of the wind

Subdued to move,

Crying to all mankind

The secret of the sacrament of love.

Yea! from a Tree

God shall shine out at thee;

For this doth Nature grow,

To this the kingly banners forward go.

            Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), "March Music"

(The opening Latin in Underhill's poem is a verse from Fortunatus' hymn "The Royal Banners Forward Go": That which the prophet-king of old/Hath in mysterious verse foretold,/Is now accomplished, whilst we see/God rule the nations from a tree.)

O God of light, open our eyes that we may see ourselves, the world, and you, more clearly.  Amen

• ·       Take a walk. Notice shadows. Notice trees. Give thanks.