THE GARDENER'S FORWARD
Keep this garden, friend, for Me -
Tend its borders lovingly,
Through the chilling wintry shower
Cherish each frail plant and flower;
Train it for My Paradise,
There to bloom 'neath changeless skies.'
THE DISCOVERY OF PRAYER
Here, my Angel helping me,
Raised we Jesu's Calvary,
Girt with rose and Love-lies-bleeding,
His dear Passion's memory pleading,
Hedged for prayer with reverent screen,
Box and yew-tree evergreen.
THE HIDDEN GARDEN
AN ACT OF WONDER
O GOD, how wonderful art Thou in all Thy world!
Wondrous is the wind that sways the branches,
Yet is itself unseen.
Wondrous art Thou in the flight of the swallow,
And the song of the blackbird;
In the form and fragrance of the wild rose,
And the sheen of the butterfly's wing.
Wondrous art Thou in the magic of the budding copse,
And the splendor of the night sky;
In the fashioning of my body,
With all its powers and senses.
But most wondrous art Thou Thyself,
If Thy thoughts are so full of beauty,
Help me, then, to move with wonder through Thy world,
So rich in mystery and glory.
THE KEY OF WONDER
AN ACT OF REVERENCE
O HEAVENLY Lord,
Who art so great, so wonderful and holy,
Before Whose dazzling glory
The very Angels veil their faces;
Help me to worship Thee
With love and holy fear;
To reverence my body,
And the temple wherein Thou dwellest;
To honour all men,
Because Thy likeness looks out from their eyes;
And so use with reverent care
The daily gifts and treasures of Thy world,
Because they are Thy handiwork,
O Lord most High,
Whose Name is Wonderful and Holy.
WHAT PRAYER IS
FOR GOD'S FRIENDSHIP
O GOD, my God,
I do want to be Thy friend.
Thou art kind and generous to me,
Day to day, and all day long;
And I so often forget Thee,
And grieve Thy love.
O Lord, the Giver of all good gifts,
Give THYSELF to me.
Let me begin this day to treasure Thy friendship
Above all that is dear to me on earth.
O God, I do mean it;
I do want to be Thy friend.
WAYS OF PRAYER
BENEDICITE OMNIA OPERA DOMINI DOMINO
O GOD, Who madest me and all the world,
Let me join the song of praise
That rises to Thee from all Thy creatures.
With the thunder of the waves upon the shore,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the murmur of brooks and rivers,
With the whisper of the wind in the trees,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the hum of bees upon the heather,
With the trill of birds that greet the dawn,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the din of the city's busy toil,
With the cheerful patience of all brave sufferers,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the Churches daily offering
Of Eucharist and psalm,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the worship of the blessed dead
Who rest in Thee,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the adoring hymn of Saints and Angels
Round Thy throne,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the love and longing
Of all Thy friends on earth,
I praise Thee, Lord.
With the song and laughter
Of all Thy happy children,
I praise Thee, Lord most high
Who madest all for good.
TIMES OF PRAYER
A MORNING GREETING
(On waking)
O GOD, my own dear God,
I, Thy child, look up to greet Thee.
I thank Thee for this new day.
I want to live it close to Thee.
Help me to remember Thee,
And, in all, to serve and please Thee.
A MORNING OFFERING
(While dressing)
O MY GOD, I offer Thee
This little life of this short day,
That it may be lived to Thy glory,
And to the happiness of others.
Help me to use loyally for Thee
The powers which Thou hast given,
Bringing back to Thee in gratitude
The joy of each success, And looking to Thee for aid in every need.
May this day be marked in Thy Book of Life
By loving praise, brave victories over self,
And golden words and deeds of kindness.
RAMBLES IN THE GARDEN
Praise
My God, I priase Thee,
Who art so great, so wonderful and holy.
My God, how beautiful Thou art,
in earth and sky,
and in the glory of Thine own holiness.
Blessed Spirit, fill my heart with praise by night and day.
Love
My God, I am Thine, and Thou art mine.
Help me to love Thee more.
Jesu, Thou art within me: help me to abide in Thee.
Jesu, make me all Thine own: take from me all that is unlike Thee.
Jesu, I am all Thine. Do with me what Thou wilt.
MY
GOD
HELP
M
E
TO
R
E
M
E
M
B
E
R
THEE
An Arrow Prayer
The Lord's Prayer
James Tissot
from the Life of Christ
by James Tissot
SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW
TO THE YOUNG CHRIST OF THE
GALILEAN HILLS
JESU, Who from the hills of Nazareth
Didst look out upon the great world's highways,
Yet didst ever hold unswervingly
The way of Thy Father's Will:
Be with me this day in the way that I shall go:
Keep my eyes, my ears, my thoughts from evil;
That I may walk in Thy Presence,
Close-knit in mind and will to Thee,
Who reignest now in heavenly glory,
Yet art evermore our Brother,
Understanding,
Young in heart,
Strong to save.
WHEN ALL IS STILL
FOR MENTAL PRAYER, OR QUIET THOUGHT OF GOD
My daily reading of God's word is my daily trysting-place with my Lord. Sometimes, He reveals Himself to my remembrance as the Child of Bethlehem in Blessed Mary's arms, as Son of Man by Galilee's blue lake; sometimes, He streches out His arms in love to me from the Cross; sometimes, He makes Himself known to me in the joy and glory of His Easter rising. But always, He is Jesus, God Incarnate, the way to the Father, revealing through His Spirit, the treasures of divine knowledge. Never can I exhaust that store, nor comprehend its mystery; for boundless as sky, and sea, and dim hill-ranges is my Lord, the one, the tri-une, infinite in power, in love, and wisdom.
My Lord, how precious should this hour be,
In which we meet,
Thou, and I, alone, in holy prayer.
O help me now to use aright this treasure of Thy love.
Enrich my thought and memory
From the store-house of Thy Truth.
Enkindle my heart and will,
That I may love Thee for Thine own loveliness,
In and above all that Thou hast made;
And, loving Thee, may plan new ways of pleasing Thee,
And working for Thy cause.
COME, Lord,
In the stillness of this hour that is Thine own.
Come, for all within me is hushed to greet Thee.
O show Thyself to me,
That I may behold Thee
In the glory of Thine own holiness,
In the beauty and loving-kindless of Thy works,
And give myself, all that I am, and all I have,
In answer to Thy love.
MY GARDEN CALVARY
IN the midst, from grotto cool
Plashing into crystal pool,
Wells my Fountain ever-flowing,
Dewy grace on all bestowing,
Where my white DOVE preens His wing,
Where the swallows bathe and sing.
AT THE FOUNTAIN
THERE are few more delightful places in an old-fashioned garden than the clear fountain with its rocky pool. Here, even in summer drought, there is freshness, and the gleaming swallows poise in their flight to drink, and many a child has loved to linger over the pool, and watch the lazy fish beneath the lilies.
In the soul's garden, too, there is a Fountain - of living water, clear as crystal, such as the seer in vision saw welling from the throne of God and of the Lamb. For the promise of 'living water' which our Saviour made to the woman of Sychar was renewed to all disciples at Jersalem on the feast-day, when it was explained to mean the grace of the life-giving Spirit Whom He would send after He was 'glorified' at His Ascension.
HERE, 'mid fragrant rosemary
MARY'S bower you might see -
For her courtiers, gold-starred daisies,
Lilies trumpeting her praises,
Hyacinths with merry bells;
Larkspurs blue her sentinels.
WHERE THE LILIES GROW
I HAVE a garden where my Lord walks with me alone.
By His own secret wicket-gate He enters,
And only by the birds' glad song
Can I tell His coming;
And when I run to meet Him, He greets me so tenderly,
And lets me show Him all my treasures.
He loves my honest sunflowers,
With their open, smiling faces.
He stoops to show me the humble violets,
Hiding their sweetness beneath the leaves.
He praises my blood-red roses,
And bids me strive, like them,
To shed the fragrance of good deeds around me.
He gazes into the snowy trumpets of my lilies,
His Mother's own flower -
And, oh!, I long, like her, to keep my heart unstained,
And worthy of His love!
'THERE SHALL IN NO WISE ENTER INTO IT ANYTHING UNCLEAN
KING JESU, how blessed must that City be,
In which Thou reignest amid Angels
Upon Thy Father's throne:
Whose gates are of lustrous pearl;
Through whose clear jasper walls
The glory of Thy Presence shines -
For Thou, the Lamb, art the City's light and joy;
In whose sunlit streets of gold
The happy children play;
Where all is pure, and fair, and loving,
For nought unclean may enter there.
O Jesu, bring us safely home to that dear City!
O Jesu, come soon! Come soon!
FLOWERS GATHERED BY THE WAY
TO HIM WHO ENTERS THE GARDEN
To many, an old-world garden access is gained through a time-worn arched doorway with gates of wrought iron, over which clamber sprays of rose or honeysuckle. Cut in the grey stone, or wrought into the iron tracery, there may run an inscription, telling of the family to whom, in former days, the garden belonged, or bidding the visitor enter reverently within its borders, haunted with age-long memories. Over the entrance to our garden, too, shall there be an inscription, of welcome, and of warning - short indeed in compass, yet embracing heaven and earth in the fullness of its meaning. And, the words shall be these:
OF THE FATHER,
AND
OF THE SON,
AND OF THE HOLY GHOST.
AMEN
Rightly used, they are a perfect introduction to prayer, reminding us that He to Whom we come is no Stanger, but already bound to us by threefold ties of love - the Father Who made us, the Son Who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us to make us holy. But, a meaning deeper lies hid within the words. They touch the great mystery of the Being of God Himself, the One, the Tri-Une, before Whom the Angels ever cry 'Holy, Holy, Holy'.
Slowly and thoughtfully, then, should they be said, for they lead us into the very Presence of the Lord most High, our creator, our Redeeemer, our Sanctifier.
AN ACT OF WORSHIP
My God, how beautiful Thou art
In earth and sky and ocean,
In beast and bird and flower,
In loyal souls wherein Thy Spirit reigns,
In the Face of Jesus, Thine Incarnate Son,
Upon the throne of Thy glory,
And in the mystery of Thine own wonderous Godhead.
WHOSE I AM AND WHOM I SERVE
LORD JESU, set the mark of Thy Cross upon my life -
Upon my work and pleassures,
Upon my speech and laughter,
Upon my sight and hearing,
Upon my body in its wonderous life and growth,
Upon the plans and pictures,
Which I build in my mind;
That I may be Thine
Through and through, in every part;
That, as the pattern is woven into the cloth,
The stamp and likeness of Thy Name
May be imprinted
Upon my every thought and word and action.
AN OUTLINE OF INTERCESSION FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD, I
MONDAY
OUR HOME
PICTURE the Holy Child in His home at Nazareth, helping St. Joseph in the workshop, fetching water from the village well; happy, and kindly spreading love and good will around Him.
PRAY for all whom you love; that they may find happiness in God's friendship, and that all may faithfully fullfill His purpose for them in the world.
For your home.
For relations.
For family friends.
For all who have helped you by love and example.
For all whom you may have injured, and whom you find it hard to love.
TUESDAY
OUR SCHOOL
PICTURE our Lord growing up at Nazareth, playing in the village streets, rejoicing in the flowers and birds of His Father's world; watching from the hillsides the caravans coming up from Jordan; learning at home, and from the village Rabbi, the teaching of a Jewish child.
PRAY for your school, and school friends; for those who teach, and those who learn.
PRAY for Scouts and Guides, Cubs and Brownies; for all organizations for character-training and good citizenship.
THANK God for the holy Child's example of spotless unselfish character; for all that has helped you in your school life; for all ennobling influences in the training of youth.
WEDNESDAY
THE CHURCH, OUR SPIRITUAL HOME
PICTURE our Lord in His twelfth year, nearing Jerusalem, joining in the pilgrim psalms, entering His Father's House with joy and wonder; listening with rapt attention to the Rabbis, as they speak of His heavenly Father, and of Israel's hope of the coming Kingdom.
PRAY for your own parish, and for parishes known to you, their clergy and congregations; that all may truly know, love, and follow our Lord, and grow in His likeness.
THANK God for the grace and truth which Christ brought to mankind; for all sacramental gifts in His Church; for your own Baptism and other spiritual blessings; for all priests and lay-folk who are faithfully serving God by holy unselfish lives.
THURSDAY
THE WORLD IN TOIL AND STRIFE
PICTURE our Lord in Simon's boat by the lakeshore, teaching the thronging multitude; pointing to the sower on the brown hill-side, and drawing thence His parable of the Seed He longed to sow in the hearts of all mankind.
PRAY for your country; for the King and royal ramily; for parliament and all in authority; that they may seek God's Kingdom before all.
For a spirit of fellowship and fair dealing in industry and commerce.
For brotherhood between rich and poor.
THANK God for the power of the Gospel to uplift mankind, and bring peace and goodwill upon earth; for all that makes for righteouness in our land, and in the world.
FRIDAY
THE WORLD IN TEMPTATION AND SIN, IN NEED OF GOD
PICTURE the sinless Christ bravely taking up His Cross for the world's salvation, pleading for His persecutors, offering to His Father His completed life of obedience in the triumph-cry It is finished.
PRAY for the careless and pleasure-seekers, that they may remember God's claim upon their life and love.
For those who never pray.
For those who have lost their first love.
For the tempted.
For those who live among the wicked.
PRAY for all who are seeking to comfort and help the weak-hearted, and to raise up them that fall.
For the Church Army and Salvation Army.
For rescue and temperance workers.
AN OUTLINE OF INTERCESSION FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD, II
SATURDAY
THE WORLD IN SUFFERING AND AT REST
PICTURE our Lord as He stands in the midst of His disciples on Easter night, with wound-prints in His sacred risen Body; hear His greeting of peace, as He assures them of His victory over death and sin, and sends them forth in His Name, in the might of His Spirit.
PRAY for all who suffer in mind, body, or estate, that they may find their peace and strength in Christ, the Good Shepperd, Who came to earth to share the sorrows of His creation.
For the sick, and all in bodily pain.
For those whose faculties are failing.
For the poor and homeless.
For the sad and lonely.
PRAY for the faithful departed, that they may be granted light and peace in Christ's sure keeping.
For your own dear dead.
For all who have helped you, and inspired you with the love of heavenly things.
For those who gave their lives in the great War.
'OTHER SHEEP I HAVE'
LORD JESUS, Brother of all the world,
Help me to love for Thy sake
All whom I meet day by day,
And to believe in Thy power to change us,
And to make each one of us
All that Thou willest us to be.
I pray Thee, Lord, for them,
As I pray for myself,
That we may all be free and happy
In being friends with Thee,
And working for Thy Kingdom upon earth.
PENITENCE
CALVARY PRAYERS
SOMETIMES it is one of the best and happiest prayers to kneel before the Cross, and think of our Saviour's love, Who suffered there for us.
I SAW in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the Cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell off his back. Then was Christian glad and lightsome. Then he stood still a while, to look and wonder, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went out singing:
'Blest Cross! Blest Sepulchre! blest rather be The Man that there was put to shame for me'
The Pilgrims Progress.
HOW TO REPENT OF OUR SINS
A simple method of self-examination for use before Confirmation, and at other times
IF we wish to be forgiven, we must:
(1) be sorry for our sins (Contrition).
(2) confess our sins (Confession).
(3) try to do better (Amendment).
(1) Contrition.
Think. Our sins helped to crucify Jesus. Ask Him to give you real contrition.
Dear Lord Jesus, I desire to be truly sorry for the sins of my whole life. Help me by Thy Holy Spirit to know myself, that I may hate all sin, and love and serve Thee better. Amen.
(2) Confession.
Sin is like an ugly weed, which spoils our hearts, and is most displeasing to God.
Some of the worst sins are:
Pride: conceit, disobedience, stubbornness, sulkiness, grumbling, irreverence.
Anger: jealousy, selfishness, unkindness, rudness, hatred, bad temper, swearing, ungenerosity, refusing to forgive.
Deceit: lying. stealing, cheating at games or work.
Greed: Laziness in work, prayers, or worship; Impurity in thought, word, or deed.
Think carefully if you have allowed any of these to grow in your heart. If you are really sorry and wish Jesus to make your heart clean again, you can come to Him in this sacramental way the Gospel and Prayer Book offer you, and receive the 'benefit of absolution' through His priest.
Take a pencil and paper, and write down in your own words, with the help of what is said above, the sins which the Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance.
(3) Ammendment.
Kneel down, and thank God for His loving forgiveness, say carefully any special prayer which may have been given you, or which you have writen yourself, and promise Him that you will try to replace the weeds of sin by the virtues of a new Christian life. Thus, you may pray to Him by His Holy Truth Spirit to plant in your heart Love instead of anger, Truth for falsehood, Humility for pride, Purity and Self-Control in place of all that is shameful. This amendment of life is very important.
THE HOLY COMMUNION
THE LORD'S OWN SERVICE
COME, Lord Jesu, in the fulness of Thy grace,
And dwell in the hearts of us, Thy servants;
That, adoring Thee by faith,
We may, with joy, receive Thee,
And, with love and thankfulness, abide in Thee,
Our Guide, our Bread of pilgrims,
Our Comrade by the way.
HOLY Father, I thank Thee
For the gift of Thy dear Son.
Praised be Thou, Lord Jesu,
Who hast refreshed me with the Bread of Life,
And granted me to drink of the brook in the way.
May I go in the strength of this meat
Unto the mount of God.
Blessed Spirit, give us grateful hearts,
That we may live in thankfulness and praise.
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable Gift.
ANIMA CHRISTI
SOUL of Christ, sanctify me;
Body of Christ, save me;
Blood of Christ, refresh me;
Water from the side of Christ, wash me;
Passion of Christ, strengthen me;
O good Jesu, hear me;
Within thy wounds hide me;
Suffer me not to be separated from thee;
From the malignant enemy defend me;
In the hour of death call me,
And bid me come to thee,
That with thy Saints I may praise thee
For ever and ever.
Amen.
The Hubble Space Telescope has taken photos of the Helix Nebulae. Some astronomers describe it as "a trillion-mile-long tunnel of glowing gases." At its centre is a dying star that has ejected dust and gas, stretching toward its outer rim. Remarkable photos of it look like the blue iris of a human eye, complete with eyelids. Because of this, some have called it the Eye of God.
PSALMS OF THANKFULNESS AND COURAGE
A SONG OF THE OPEN WAY
ST. JEROME, writing from his monastery at Bethlehem early in the 5th century, tells us of the love of the Palestinian peasants for the Psalter. 'The toiling reaper beguiles his work with psalms : the vine-dresser as he prunes the vine with his curved pruning hook has some song of David on his lips.' Christians of later days have treasured the Psalter no less dearly.
Psalm 121. Levavi oculos
I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills : from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh even from the Lord : who hath made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel : shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord himself is thy keeper : the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand.
So that the sun shall not burn thee by day : neither the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil : yes, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in : from this time forth for evermore.
THE CHRISTLIKE CHARACTER
TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE SANCTIFIER
O HOLY Spirit, Who in all ages leadest the friends of God
By the way of holiness;
Help me to win a brave and noble character,
That I may hate and resist evil,
And seek and choose
The pure, the true, and lovely things.
O strong, loving Comforter,
Keep my feet in the way that leadeth unto life,
My heart free, my eyes toward the hills.
FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
O BLESSED Spirit,
Who makest our hearts Thy home in Confirmation;
Enlighten my mind by Thy gift of Understanding,
That I may use aright my reason
To comprehend Thy Truth.
Open the eyes of my soul by Thy heavenly Wisdom,
That I may believe in faith
That which is beyond my reason.
Guide me by Thy sure Counsel,
In the way of my heavenly Father's will.
Arm me with ghostly Strength,
That I may be brave to resist sin
And to conquer self.
Enkindle my heart by Thy gift of Knowledge,
That I may know and love Thee, my God,
In ways of prayer.
Sanctify me by Thy gift of Godliness,
In the likeness of Christ my Master.
Keep me watchful against temptation
By Thy gift of Holy Fear,
Lest I grieve Thy love, my holy Lord,
Who so lovest me.
THE LIFE IN CHRIST
FOR JOYOUS TRUE RELIGION
JESU, Son of Mary,
Who didst watch the boys and girls at play
In the sunny markets of Galilee,
And at the marriage-feast didst share our joys,
Making our happiness holy and yet happier
By Thy Presence;
Help me to share with Thee my games and pleasures,
Rejoicing to remember Thee ever beside me,
And owning Thee, my loved and honoured Master,
Whom I am proud and glad to serve
With all my gifts and powers.
THE REIGN OF CHRIST WITHIN THE SOUL
Our Lord expects much from His friends, sharing with them, as He does, the intimate plans of His Kingdom. 'No longer do I call you servants : for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth : but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known unto you ... ye are My friends, if you do the things which I command you.'
And you must not be surprised if, as He draws you nearer to Himself, He seems to be testing your love by constant demands upon your loyalty. The first sign of His nearness may be a call to instant faithfulness in little duties - in punctuality as to times of prayer, and self-discipline in countless small ways.
Our Saviour knows the soul with whom He is dealing. and He longs to see you free and happy, and master of yourself; and it is only under the strong, gentle yoke of His discipline that you can win that freedeom.
You can refuse to listen - but if you respond to that first approach of His love, wonderful things will begin happen.
Splendid new visions of service in His Kingdom will spring up in your heart; all your relationships and friendships will catch the lustre of His pure glory; a new, painstaking thoroughness will transform your work and play - for the secrets of your life are now shared with Him, and nothing is too small or unimportant to take trouble about, if it to meet His eye.
The growth of a soul in hidden ways of grace is too secret and sacred to write about; but from the moment of that first surrender of your will to Christ, the result is assured.
The one condition, on your side, is perserverance. For, however often you may fall and need to start afresh, the direction of your life is now heavenward.
The reign of Christ within your soul has begun.
