Monday, June 13, 2016

Dearest God,

The music took my hand and walked me to the deep well.  While I drank the pure, cool water of faith, the young tenor sang, The Divine Image – Reflections of the Holy Family.  The words of faith rose higher and higher even in the midst of television news reporting events of horror, darkness, and evil.  My soul welcomed the peace offered at the side chapel of Christ Church Cathedral in London.  I let the sweet taste of mercy flow deep down into my soul and I realized in the midst of deep darkness, there is a place deeper still where the rivers of joy flow without hindrance.  I drank until I was full to overflowing.

When the student concluded, I stepped over to him thanking him for the blessing, particularly the last song, The Divine Image, with music by Ralph Vaughan Williams and lyrics by William Blake.  I spoke, "In the light of recent events in Orlando with the mass murders, the last song speaks particularly to our world.”  He replied, “I thought and thought about that last night and I could not think of what to say today so I decided to sing it instead.”  The song fit for a hurting world no matter the condition or situation:

To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love

               All pray in their distress;

And to these virtues of delight

Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love

Is God, our father dear,

And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love

Is man, his child and care. 

For Mercy has a human heart,

Pity a human face,

And Love, the human form divine,

And Peace, the human dress. 

Then every man, of every clime,

That prays in his distress,

Prays to the human form divine.

Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace, 

And all must love the human form,

In heathen, Turk, or Jew;

Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell

There God is dwelling too. 

Love always, Andrea