September 20 (Ember Day)

Ps 104:33 I will sing to the LORD all my life,

sing psalms to my God while I live.

Hurrahing in Harvest (Hopkins)

Summer ends now; now, barbarous in beauty, the stooks rise
Around; up above, what wind-walks! what lovely behaviour
Of silk-sack clouds! has wilder, wilful-wavier
Meal-drift moulded ever and melted across skies?

I walk, I lift up, I lift up heart, eyes,
Down all that glory in the heavens to glean our Saviour;
And, éyes, heárt, what looks, what lips yet gave you a
Rapturous love's greeting of realer, of rounder replies?

And the azurous hung hills are his world-wielding shoulder
Majestic—as a stallion stalwart, very-violet-sweet!—
These things, these things were here and but the beholder
Wanting; which two when they once meet,
The heart rears wings bold and bolder
And hurls for him, O half hurls earth for him off under his feet.

Meditation

It should not be fear of impending disaster with regard to global change that obliges us to change our ways with regard to the natural environment. Rather, it should be a recognition of the cosmic harmony and original beauty that exists in the world. We must learn to make our communities more sensitive and to render our behavior toward nature more respectful. We must acquire a compassionate heart – what St. Isaac of Syria, a seventh century mystic once called a heart that burns with love for the whole of creation: for humans, for birds and beasts, for all God’s creatures. (Bartholomew I)

Musical Selection

We plow the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand.
He sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes, and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us are sent from heav’n above.
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord, for all his love.

He only is the Maker
of all things near and far.
He paints the wayside flower,
He lights the evening star.
The winds and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us, his children,
He gives our daily bread. 

We thank you, then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
the seed-time, and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
Accept the gifts we offer
for all thy love imparts,
But that which thou desirest,
our humble, thankful hearts. 

Prayer