Lullaby, My Beautiful One

Lullaby, my beautiful one;

See how the lights all fade to dark;

The ocean of sleep is wide and vast,

But it's not long till night is done.

Do you not see it? A little bark

Awaits with silken sails on the mast;

It wants to carry you on the wave--

Up and down, now feel it rock;

It gently seeks the house of the moon,

Where little elves can misbehave,

And naiads sing as satyrs gawk,

And faerie-harpers keep the tune.

Selene, the mistress of the dance,

Whose throne is in the starry skies,

Will linger just a while for you.

She weaves sweet dreams between her hands,

That little girls who close their eyes

Can see before the morning dew.

So go to sleep, my beautiful one,

And do not wake till night is done.

Catechism in Song - Lesson 1 - God and Man

Your voice, O God, was great enough,
To make the darkness shine;
And nothingness became a world
At your command divine.

You spoke my name and knew of me,
When you took Adam's hand;
How great the love which built all this
To house a sinful man!

My voice is yours though far too weak
To build a gift for thee,
So take your own to praise your works
And sing eternally.

You made me to adore your name,
In earth and heav'n above,
That we might be with you always
By vision and by love.

But how do I, a refugee,
Cast out by pride and sin,
Know whom I love, or how to seek
Your presence once again.

Then I look down upon my path
And footprints I see there;
The way Apostle's feet have trod
I follow without fear.

My Ark (lyrics to a spiritual song)

Verse 1
Noah built an ark of wood,
To ride upon the wave,
And point us to that bloody rood,
Which never fails to save.

But what I build to keep my soul,
It shatters from within;
A house of cards, to be kept whole,
Needs shelter from the wind.

Refrain
Sing for joy, O House of God,
For God has chosen Thee;
And let me dwell within your courts,
For all eternity.

Verse 2
Moses built an ark of gold,
Veiled by angel's wing;
We catch the sound of words untold
As angel choirs sing.

O let me stop just once to see,
With eyes of faith and fear,
The Ark which offers hope to me,
And dries my every tear.

Refrain

Verse 3
And Solomon, the good and wise,
Would not lay down to rest,
Till he had seen a temple rise
From the very best.

And I'm like bricks made out of clay,
And Earth gives little straw.
So who am I to hide away
Your wonders and your law?

Refrain

Verse 4
The Spirit built for you a heart
Free from every stain;
Now every grace which you impart
Is Hers to give away.

She kept for you a tender home
In flesh so pure and clear;
My flesh let it be Hers alone,
So you may linger here.

Refrain

Peacemaker's Prayer- Prayer/Poem of the Week

Dear Lord,
You tell us that they are blessed who bring the good news of peace--peace, not as the world gives but that which can come from you alone--and you promise that those who bring such peace to the world are made worthy to be called the sons of God. And so we know that the more we become peacemakers, the more we are cast in your likeness, having our Mother Mary as the true mold by which that image is forged. Trusting, then, in the merits and prayers of the Queen of Peace, the Lady of All Nations, I ask you to forge my soul in all virtues, supernatural and natural, so that I may become a instrument of peace in the lives of my fellow man. Help me to share love where there is distrust. Help me to overcome whatever pride prevents wisdom from conquering misunderstanding. Guide me to be your presence to others and to bring about reconciliation as the fruit of a life hidden in you.
Amen.

Unfolding Events Concerning the Traditional Latin Mass in Arkansas

H.E. Anthony Taylor, Bishop of Little Rock is attempting to reduce the number of Extraordinary Form masses in Batesville, AR from twice a month to once a month. The attendees at this Mass generally number slightly under fifty participants, with a large number of occasional visitors. They include longtime members of the parish, a Parish Religious Education instructor, a former president of the Parish Pastoral Council; most of the families have well-established ties to the Batesville community. We certainly consider ourselves sufficiently stable to support a Mass, and have the financial means to do so. 

In making this public, it is my intention solely to involve other people in helping the Bishop to make a just decision to continue and expand the availability of the Extraordinary Form in the Batesville area. We certainly do not wish to be antagonistic or unjustly critical, but rather seek a lawful, equitable, and charitable solution to this crisis. 

I ask for your prayers.

PAX

Prayer for Simplicity- Prayer/Poem of the Week

Prayer for Simplicity

By an Oblate of St. Benedict

When I place the image of Your countenance deep in my breast, dear Jesus, all things become simple, the paths are made straight, the rough places plain, and the hills and valleys made low. Let me hold this image of You before my straying will at all times, and let it give me the strength to follow You, even when all the world opposes me. Let no demons torment this temple of Your Holy Face, in which, like Mary, the Word of God has taken residence. O make me more like her, whose voice was the voice of the Holy Spirit and whose heart was pierced by the contemplation of your Passion. Let my heart ponder Your mysteries like hers did, and in doing so grant that all other loves may vanish like smoke in a clear breeze.

O Heavenly Father, by whose Providence the whole world is ordered and given being, who art Being itself, make me more and more devoted simply to Your will, that I may say with Mary: Ecce ancilla Domini: Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Father's Day: A Mealtime Prayer- Prayer/Poem of the Week

This is the mealtime prayer that my Grandfather has recited for as long as I can remember. A while back I translated it into very simple Church Latin, which I think is fairly accurate.

Latin: Pater de caelis, gratias tibi agimus pro his et universis beneficiis tuis. Benedic hunc cibum ad usum corporum nostrorum et corpora nostra ad servitium tuum. Parce nobis, quaesumus, et ignosce in nomine Christi. Amen.

Heavenly Father, we give Thee thanks for these and all Thy tender mercies. Bless this food to the use of our bodies and our bodies to Thy service. Forgive us and save us, we ask in Christ's name. Amen.