In Secret

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
—Matthew 6:1-6

If we have worked in darkness
and labored through the night,
how shall we taste the harvest
in your unending light?

We fear the dark's obscurance
of all our works and ways.
O God, give us endurance
and hope to see the day!

Look down on all that's hidden
and read the words we hide:
May all our acts live in you,
where even night is bright.

And in our darkest places,
our inmost, secret parts
help us to sing your praises
as you look on our hearts.

Then may we give in secret:
Our good work need not show
for surely you will see it—
though you alone may know.

And when you set your table
where all shall have their due,
Lord, make for us a place there,
that we may feast in you.

Title: “Blasts” from The Ram’s Horn Year: 1902 (1900s) Authors: Subjects: Poetry Publisher: Chicago, The Ram’s Horn Co.By Internet Archive Book Images – https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14781372921/Source book page: https://archive.org/stream/blastsfromramsho00unse/blastsfromramsho00unse#page/n34/mode/1up, No restrictions, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42489652

Full of Light

The sun has long since set, O Lord,
and hidden is the light.
We long for you to come once more
and make these shadows bright.

Come kindle flame in all the hearts
that weep and watch and pray,
as numberless as heaven's stars
that wait to see your day.

And give us eyes to see their glow
across all heaven's arch,
to find that we are not alone
though they are aching far,

and see the space between the stars,
the emptiness and cold,
may be the streching of your arms
to gather in your fold.

Reach out more far, from east to west,
and farther, farther still,
each lonely star to touch and bless.
These empty spaces fill,

'til we find darkness full of lights—
the sun's unnumbered parts—
and find your glory fills the night
in countless burning hearts.

**NOTE:** This image is a panorama consisting of multiple frames that were merged or stitched in software. As a result, this image necessarily underwent some form of digital manipulation. These manipulations may include blending, blurring, cloning, and colour and perspective adjustments. As a result of these adjustments, the image content may be slightly different from reality at the points where multiple images were combined. This manipulation is often required due to lens, perspective, and parallax distortions. Constellations, By Thomas Bresson – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31321172

Simeon

Now, Master, you may let your servant go
       in peace, according to your word,
   for my eyes have seen your salvation,
       which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
   a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
       and glory for your people Israel.
—Luke 2:22-32

Now, Master, let me go
according to your vow,
for I have seen the sky aglow,
the stars and planets bow.

The long-awaited light 
at last has touched my eyes.
I could not die while it was night,
who knew the sun would rise.

This dawn you have prepared
to drive away the dark;
it comes that all the world be spared,
and I have seen its spark.

So I may go in peace
where all my hope's concealed,
for sin retreats and sorrow flees,
now light has been revealed.

Though long you've lent me breath
I cannot pay the debt,
but I am not afraid of death:
This sun shall never set.

My hour at last comes due:
I go into the gloom,
but I have seen your word come true—
Its light will fill my tomb.

Presentation of Christ in the Temple, South German, likely altarpiece wing, late 15th century. (Private collection) By Anonymous – Photograph of old art work (>500 years old)., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55999507

Beacon

When my weary soul is aching
with the burden on me laid,
and I lose the road I'm taking
in the fading of the day,

light a beacon where you dwell here.
I'll lay down my heavy load
where you light shows me a shelter:
I will rest here from the road.

Lord, I know my way's been easy—
I'm not meaning to complain.
Nonetheless, my heart is bleeding:
Will you leave me in my pain?

For you travelled here before me
with no place to lay your head,
yet I'll find you in the morning
standing sentry by my bed.

Though I lay me down in shadow,
though I cannot find the light,
let me find your peaceful meadow
in the stillness of the night.

As you blessed the loaves and fishes
so your people could go on,
bless the coffee and the dishes
in the light of one more dawn.

Give me courage for the journey;
give me hope for journey's end.
Keep your beacon in me burning
when the darkness comes again.

Arkadi Monastery / Moni Arkadiou. Lamp in the church By Wouter Hagens – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4170241