by Margery Tate friend of Carol Dixon

“Then came the healing time, hearts started to shine, soul felt so fine, oh what a freeing time it was.”

Aberjhani, Songs from the Black Skylark 

Scripture Reading
Song of Songs Chapter 2 v 10 – 12
(New King James)

For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
 is heard in our land.

Song of Songs Chapter 2 v 10 – 12
The Message

Look around you; Winter is over;
the winter rains are over, gone!
Spring flowers are in blossom all over.
The whole world’s a choir – and singing!

Spring warblers are filling the forest
with sweet arpeggios.
Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed
and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms.

Prayer Poem – Spring by Fiona Straw
(From “Please God I’m listening”)

In winter the branches are stark, like scaffolding. but in spring along their bareness tiny buds break through, and with them grow our dreams of sunny leaf – spread days. A field of grim sheep, woolly coats parted by hard grey wind, but soon, for each one there will be another – a tiny pipe cleaner lamb : total newness staggering into bewildered activity.

How many miracles you strike in spring Lord, out of the hard winter’s earth!
I glimpse your great love, planning, re forming, renewing.
I see a pattern of newness – pale spring colours, the delicacy of harebells and primroses, tiny fledgling birds.

I thank you Lord for all I see in spring: your power to create, not just “in the beginning”, but now, your loving plan of new life, which spreads beauties everywhere, your gentleness, each detail of a tiny, new born thing planned and guarded by your care.

I want to praise you Lord,
and I long for this freshness,
new birth and joy in my life now.

Time of reflection
Ponder on what spring means to you.

 What has touched you in the words and images? 

Hymn –  For the beauty of the earth

Companions Prayer
O God here we are all devoted to you, make us according to your heart.
Prayers for ourselves and our fellow Companions

Creator God we thank you for the spring, for the rebirth
and the renewal which we see around us in Nature.

We thank you for reminding us that you are the One who is making all things new.

When we see the new leaves misting the trees with green,
when the first flowers bloom in the shelter of a wall,
when the morning air is alive with birdsong, may hope seep back into our souls and  warmth into our hearts.

Renew us; restore us; redeem us!  “for see, winter is past, the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth, the season of glad songs has come.

(Olga McKellar
      Mt Carmel-Zion United Church, Ontario)

Extract from The Wind in the Willows Chapter 1 by Kenneth Grahame 

Mole had been working very hard all the morning spring cleaning his little home…
Spring  was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with a divine longing………

Something up above was calling him imperiously…

“Up we go! Up we go!” .. at last pop! his snout came out into the sunlight and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow. “This is fine!” he said to himself. “This is better than white washing!” 

The sunshine struck hot on his fur, soft breezes caressed his heated brow, and after the seclusion of the cellarage he had lived in so long , the carol of happy birds fell on his dulled hearing almost like a shout. Jumping off all his four legs at once in the joy of living and the delight of spring without its cleaning, he pursued his way across the meadow………..

Hither and thither through the meadows he rambled busily along the hedgerows, across the copses finding everywhere birds building, flowers budding, leaves thrusting – everything progressive and occupied.

            Like Mole, let us too respond to the divine longing within us this springtime.

Thoughts of Brother Lawrence Day 6

The key to living in the presence of God is putting behind you everything that you realise is not leading to Him. Only then will you become aware of his presence within you.
Only then can you enter freely and simply into a continual conversation with him, asking for his help, seeking his will when you are in doubt, doing well what he  wants of you.

In every case, aware of his presence, dedicate your deeds to him before you do them and give thanks when you are done. 

Living in the Presence of God The Everyday Spirituality of Bother Lawrence
Ave Maria Press

Hymn  – Great is thy faithfulness

Spring Blessing  (Kate McIlhagga)

God bless to us each sign of spring, each new green shoot,
each brighter day, each warmer wind.
God bless to us rebirth.

Prayers for the Day, Prayer Cards – Download

These beautiful prayer cards include 11 prayers by Christine Sine and crafted by Hilary Horn with watercolor succulent design and contemplative imagery are available for download. Each card provides a prayer on the front with a photo for reflection as well as a scripture and suggested meditative response to the prayer. Allow yourself to relax, refresh, and commune with God through each prayer. Immerse yourself in the reflection as you give yourself space to enter into God’s presence.