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

Lilies

Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’
or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

—Matthew 6:24-34

Don't worry for tomorrow,
but let it go its way.
Sufficient is the sorrow
that comes in every day.

This one has got its evils
enough for you to meet.
Your sowing and your reaping
cannot delay its grief.

Then let your hands be open,
come laughter or come dread;
your reaping and your sowing
shall be your daily bread.

Consider well the lilies,
how gorgeous they appear:
Not all the threat of winter
can make them bow to fear.

Though to the year they've fallen
and faded into death,
they know the spring is coming,
and they shall rise again.

And so their blossoms open
that cannot last the day,
their hope forever sowing
beyond the leaves that fade.

François Barraud: Nature morte de fleurs aux lys, 1934 – http://www.sikart.ch/ImgRenderer.aspx?id=6004010, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10277705

Enough

Enough for each day, is every day's hunger;
enough for our hunger, the bread God has giv'n.
Enough for that bread, the rain and the thunder
awakening seedlings to rise up and live.

Enough for the seeds, the earth turning over;
enough for that turning, the hand on the plow.
Enough for the hands, the grain that is growing,
the sun in heavens, the goodness of now.

Consider the birds, with nothing to harvest;
consider the flowers in Solomon's robes.
Consider the gifts poured out from the Father,
creation unfolding in wonders untold.

Consider the stars, their worlds without number;
consider the sparrow whose falling is known.
We walk in God's care, among all these wonders:
We're never abandoned and never alone.

Then come lift your hands in praise of the Father,
and come lift your voices, for love of the Son,
and lift up your hearts, the Spirit to honor,
the Trinity praising, whose love is our own.