The Quickening of John the Baptist

*** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: Mark 1:1-8 CLASSIC POEM: St. John the Baptist’s Day John Keble Twice in her season of decay The fallen Church hath felt Elijah’s eye Dart from the wild its piercing ray: Not keener burns, in the chill morning sky, The herald star, Whose torch afar Shadows and boding night-birds fly. Methinks we need him once again, That favoured seer–but where shall he be found? By Cherith’s side we seek in vain, In vain on Carmel’s green and lonely mound: Angels no more From Sinai soar, On his celestial errands bound. But wafted to her glorious place By harmless fire, among the ethereal thrones, His spirit with a dear embrace Thee the loved harbinger of Jesus owns, Well-pleased to view Her likeness true, And trace, in thine, her own deep tones. Deathless himself, he joys with thee To commune how a faithful martyr dies, And in the blest could envy be, He would behold thy wounds with envious eyes, Star of our morn, Who yet unborn Didst guide our hope, where Christ should rise. Now resting from your jealous care For sinners, such as Eden cannot know, Ye pour for us your mingled prayer, No anxious fear to damp Affection’s glow, Love draws a cloud From you to shroud Rebellion’s mystery here below. And since we see, and not afar, The twilight of the great and dreadful day, Why linger, till Elijah’s car Stoop from the clouds? Why sheep ye? Rise and pray, Ye heralds sealed In camp or field Your Saviour’s banner to display. Where is the lore the Baptist taught, The soul unswerving and the fearless tongue? The much-enduring wisdom, sought By lonely prayer the haunted rocks among? Who counts it gain His light should wane, So the whole world to Jesus throng? Thou Spirit, who the Church didst lend Her eagle wings, to shelter in the wild, We pray Thee, ere the Judge descend, With flames like these, all bright and undefiled, Her watch-fires light, To guide aright Our weary souls by earth beguiled. So glorious let thy Pastors shine, That by their speaking lives the world may learn First filial duty, then divine, That sons to parents, all to Thee may turn; And ready prove In fires of love, At sight of Thee, for aye to burn. *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: The Quickening of John the Baptist Thomas Merton SNIPPET: Why do you fly from the drowned shores of Galilee, From the sands and the lavender water? Why do you leave the ordinary world, Virgin of Nazareth, The yellow fishing boats, the farms, The winesmelling yards and low cellars Or the oilpress, and the women by the well? … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]