sing praises – Blisswood

Of Brightness and Glory

Thank you for sharing this uplifting quote, Melania!

As God is infinitely the greatest being, so He is allowed (recognized) to be infinitely the most beautiful and excellent; and all the beauty to be found throughout the whole creation, is but the reflection of the diffused beams of that Being Who hath infinite fullness of brightness and glory. ~ Schemamonk Constantine Cavarnos; Spiritual Beauty (The Nature of Virtue – Jonathan Edwards, 1960)

Long ago, in the 7th century, St. Caedmon heard angels praising God about Creation, and the saint penned what he heard. His poem is the oldest English poem in existence. As the original Northumbrian and Latin translations were aching to be adapted into a simpler, English read…. Here is my own translation and recording of St. Caedmon’s Creation Hymn of Praise.

Wishing my Blisswood Visitors Autumnal Joy!

And… may the sight of a crisp leaf dancing upon frosty winds, the refrains of gladsome birdsong, and the heartfelt perception of silent, celestial songs which dot the blue veil of night as a starry manuscript, inspire us to ponder each day or night, some aspect of Creation’s divine, and dazzling beauty.

Come! let us magnify our Holy, Blessed, Timeless Lord, and Father of Infinite Brightness and Glory!

Greenwood of Praise

An Ancient Forest Exudes Holiness

Through the Cross, Joy has to all the world! Let all the trees of the forest dance and sing, let all the trees clap their hands. ~ Sunday of the Cross

It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day when we recently revisited Cathedral Grove, an old haunt of ours from years past. We walked with an awe that never grows old – amongst those majestic 800+ year old giants of cedar and fir within this venerable greenwood. Sometimes, it seemed like the forest held its collective breath – until another gentle, spicy breeze would evoke a contented sigh of exhalation. Mysterious rustles in the bracken’s muted woodland paths beside the burbling creek were overridden with the steady staccato of sweet birdsong. Suddenly, a melodious thrush called out from the canopy high above, with a heartfelt, piercing trill of pure joy.

In bird lyrics, this is what it surely sang… O Lord, how wondrous are thy works! In Wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.~ Psalm 104:24

Amen!

Always, Now, & Ever!

Greetings on the (2nd) Day of the Holy Spirit!

Blessed Feast!

Yesterday’s beautiful Trinity Sunday Pentecost Vespers prayers were read aloud with an accompaniment of joyous birdsong, filtering through open church windows. Melodious cheeps and chirps of praise peppered the prayers delighting my heart and soul. Nature is indeed the Secret Gospel!

The Holy Spirit has always been, is now and ever shall be, having neither beginning nor end, but one with the Father and the Son: life and life giving; goodness itself and source of goodness, through Whom the Father is made known and the Son is glorified, and is known by all: one power, one unity, one worship, of the Holy Trinity. ~ Pentecost Vespers

I praise the Godhead, unity in three persons, for the Father is light, the Son is light, and the Spirit is light; but the light remains undivided, shining forth in oneness of nature; yet in the three rays of the persons! ~ Matins, Sunday of the Cross

Bless thou the Lord, and let thine song delight the world. ~ Holy Apostle St. Nathanial (Bartholomew)… who, during the 9th century, appeared and spoke these words to a monk, St. Joseph the Melodist in a monastery altar... The Apostle Nathanial lifted the holy Gospel from the sacred altar, and placed it on the chest of the Saint, then blessed him. This was the beginning of the divine gift he desired.

Today, we also celebrate the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “It is Truly Meet” (“Axion Estin”).

Parish Youth Choir sings It is Truly Meet to Bless Thee O Theotokos:

Congratulations on your Saint’s Day, godson Nathanial! May God grant you many years!

The Endless End

Daybreak – Kauai 2023

…O Christ the true Light, who enlightens and sanctifies every person who comes into the world: Let the Light of Your countenance shine on us, that in it we may behold the Uncreated Light. ~ Excerpt from Prayer of the Hours; 1st Hour

Shiny and New

Cleansing rain makes all seem shiny and new again! ~ Kilauea, Kauai 2023

Let my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
As raindrops on the tender herb,
And as showers on the grass.
~ Deuteronomy 32:2

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
~ Psalm 148:1-4

Praise the Lord… Even when its raining!

I love seeing raindrops spill off leaves and bead onto flowers like great globes of iridescent jewels! This beauty is reminiscent of Hope. For, amid afflictions and perhaps stresses of daily life, rest assured – our contrite tears that may fall, are gathered by angels and laid before our Creator’s Feet… Those same Precious Feet which trod Eden’s dusky paths – still fragrant with Petals from Paradise.

It’s said somewhere that we first need the rain before a rainbow appears.

Rain may fall as a gentle mist, or it can be bitingly painful. But, when God’s Beautiful Promise in the sky appears, when that rainbow holds out its shining hand to you, take it… And walk joyfully into the Sonshine of Divine Consolation.

It’s so easy to praise the Lord! For, God’s cleansing LOVE truly makes everything shiny and new again!

Alleluia and Amen!

Image by Laila from Pixabay

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. ~ Hebrews 13:8

What a joyful consolation … especially with the constant change in our lives!

I love you, O Lord, my strength. ~ Psalm 18:1

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. ~ Psalm 100:1-2

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light… ~ Psalm 148

Let every thing that has breath Praise the Lord! ~ Psalm 150

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ~ St. John 20:29 (This blessing includes us – today!)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13

…be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Ephesians 5:18-20

Alleluia and Amen!

If you ever have the chance to watch the classic 1963 movie: Lilies of the Field… do! It’s a heart-warming story starring Sidney Poitier as Homer Smith – a staunch Baptist, who winds up in Arizona, crossing paths with a convent of destitute nuns who emigrated from Eastern Europe.

The simple, contagiously joyful song Amen featured in the movie is an easy warm up I sometimes use at Youth Choir rehearsal, before turning it into a three-part “round”. The effect is amazing. We sing the repeated “one-word-prayer” Amen (just the part which the nuns sing in the movie) but use the softer sounding Awh-men pronunciation.

Over the years, the youth choir share they’ve often found themselves singing or humming this happy little piece (along with other psalmody of course) at unexpected times. Including… getting up for a glass of water in the middle of the night, or doing daily house chores, or driving in the family car on long, long, road trips!

Happy Summer! Amen!

Before praising God in private, before psalmody is truly prayerful, the song of the lips must first become the song of the soul. ~ Anonymous

Riding the Morning Winds

The Breaking Dawn ~ Kauai 2014

If I ride the morning winds to the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, your strength will support me. ~ Psalm 139:9-10

Praise the Lord, O heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him, all his angels, all the armies of heaven. Praise him, sun and moon and all you twinkling stars. Praise him, skies above. Praise him, vapours high above the clouds. ~ Psalm 148: 1-4

Praise him from sunrise to sunset! ~ Psalm 113:3

Praise him, all heaven and earth! Praise him, all the seas and everything in them! ~ Psalm 69:34

In Purple Pastures

Summer Solstice Strolling through Lavender Fields… a testament of nature praising God! ~ Image by Melania

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth… O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness… and let the earth be glad… Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice. ~ Psalm 96:1, 9, 11, 12

Make peace with yourself, and both heaven and earth will make peace with you. ~ St. Isaac the Syrian

Sometimes… just standing in a garden is enough.

With joy and love in Christ.

Because

Image by Barbara Jackson from Pixabay

…How can we not?

The Whys and Hows

Icon of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ

Christ is Risen! Greetings on Thomas Sunday!

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. ~St. John 20:29

I do love hearing that passage and the Lord Himself saying with timeless inclusiveness… blessed are those who have believed without seeing! He’s also referring to us! Right now!

Today, weather permitting, our parish will visit two cemeteries after Liturgy, and the priest will bless the graves of parishioners who’ve fallen asleep in the Lord. These Radonitsa Prayers are short, beautiful, and concluded with the Bright and Joyous singing of Paschal hymns at each grave site.

Another sweet consolation…

After our death, when we come face to face with Christ, we will understand the why and how of our lives and we will be told everything we went through in this world. Then, with all the power of our existence, we will say to Him, “Thank you my God, for allowing these for me!” ~ St. Paisios the Athonite

Truly He is Risen!