The Call of David

*** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 CLASSIC POEM: The Call of David John Henry Newman Latest born of Jesse’s race, Wonder lights thy bashful face, While the Prophet’s gifted oil Seals thee for a path of toil We, thy Angels, circling round thee, Ne’er shall find thee as we found thee, When thy faith first brought us near In thy lion-fight severe. Go! and mid thy flocks awhile At thy doom of greatness smile; Bold to bear God’s heaviest load, Dimly guessing of the road,— Rocky road, and scarce ascended, Though thy foot be angel-tended. Twofold praise thou shalt attain, In royal court and battle plain; Then comes heart-ache, care, distress, Blighted hope, and loneliness; Wounds from friend and gifts from foe, Dizzied faith, and guilt, and woe; Loftiest aims by earth defiled, Gleams of wisdom sin-beguiled, Sated power’s tyrannic mood, Counsels shared with men of blood, Sad success, parental tears, And a dreary gift of years. Strange, that guileless face and form To lavish on the scarring storm! Yet we take thee in thy blindness, And we buffet thee in kindness; Little chary of thy fame,— Dust unborn may bless or blame,— But we mould thee for the root Of man’s promised healing Fruit, And we mould thee hence to rise, As our brother, to the skies. *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: David Madeleine L’Engle Found in: A Cry Like A Bell SNIPPET: Your altar smelled of the slaughter house. The innocent eyes of tender beasts lost in confusion of laws and vows were the high price paid to you for feasts. They had to be men of iron, your priests. … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]