St Brigid’s Day & Imbolc The Beginnings of Spring

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Kindling the Fire I will raise the hearth-fire As Mary would. The encirclement of Bride and of Mary On the fire, and on the floor, And on the household all. Who are they on the bare floor ? John and Peter and Paul. Who are they by my bed ? The lovely Bride and her Fosterling. Who are those watching over my sleep ? The fair loving Mary and her Lamb. Who is that anear me ? The King of the sun, He himself it is. Who is that at the back of my head ? The Son of Life without beginning, without time.

Signs of Early Spring llery/2014/jan/20/signs-of-early-spring-your- pictures llery/2014/jan/20/signs-of-early-spring-your- pictures

Waiting... Listening... 1 Kings 19 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, L ORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.a All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the L ORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the L ORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the L ORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 11 The L ORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the L ORD, for the L ORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the L ORD, but the L ORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the L ORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the L ORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the L ORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The L ORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

God of the Moon GOD of the moon, God of the sun, God of the globe, God of the stars, God of the waters, the land, and the skies, Who ordained to us the King of promise. It was Mary fair who went upon her knee, It was the King of life who went upon her lap, Darkness and tears were set behind, And the star of guidance went up early. Illumed the land, illumed the world, Illumed doldrum and current, Grief was laid and joy was raised, Music was set up with harp and pedal-harp.

Hidden Things & Tiny Beginnings Matthew 13 The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds [b] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”b The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Music

Future Hope 2 Corinthians 5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

Smooring the Fire THE sacred Three To save, To shield, To surround The hearth, The house, The household, This eve, This night, Oh! this eve, This night, And every night, Each single night. Amen.