Poem-ness

So, I am not one to sit around and read poetry for fun...I actually find it kind of torturous for the most part. Anyways, so this evening after saying Night Prayer ,from this handy book I scored at a bookfair (for fifty cents!), I flipped to the Appendix II and stumbled across a poem that caught my eye. So, now I share it with you :)

Lead, Kindly Light

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead thou me on.
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead thou me on.
I loved the garish day, and, spite fears,
Pride ruled my will: remember not past years.

So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on
O;er the moor and fen, o;ver crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

~J. H. Newman

Do Not Fear

2 Chronicles 20: 15 --- “Thus the Lord says to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for this battle is not yours but God’s.’”

This verse sounds awesome and encouraging as it is, but let us dive a little farther into the meaning of the verse by dissecting it and examining more closely a few words.

fear: noun ---a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined

dismay: verb--- to break down the courage of completely

multitude: noun---great number [of anything]

battle: noun--- a hostile encounter or engagement

2 Chronicles 20:15 revised and simplified: “Thus the Lord says to you, ‘Do not allow the great number of [people/obstacles/failed attempts, ect.] to arouse distressing emotions within you or steal away your courage, for this hostile encounter is not yours but God’s’”

On 2 Chronicles 20:15, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary states: “He encouraged them to trust in God. Let the Christian soldier go out against his spiritual enemies, and the God of peace will make him more than a conqueror. Our trials will prove our gain. The advantage will be all our own, but the whole glory must be given to God.”

Do not fear anything, for what you perceive as your battle is truly God’s. Allow God to fight for you.

Live for God and He will fight for you.

αγαπη

Universal Vocation

While we all have our own unique vocation, we are all called as the Body of Christ to a universal vocation of holiness. Pope Benedict XVI wrote:

"We are all called to holiness: it is the very measure of Christian living...Let us not be afraid to aim high, for God's heights; let us not be afraid that God will ask too much of us, but let ourselves be guided by His Word in every daily action, even when we feel poor, inadequate sinners. It will be He who transforms us in accordance with His love."