Dear Friends,
This Advent and Christmastide we’ve read poems selected and inspired from Dr L. William Countryman’s volume Run, Shepherds, Run. On the feast of the Epiphany we have the final poem, celebrating God’s wisdom and love known to shepherds and wise men. “Lord, when the wise men come from afar”, by Sidney Godolphin.
Lord, when the wise men came from far,
Led to thy cradle by a star,
Then did the shepherds, too, rejoice,
Instructed by thy Angel’s voice.
Blest were the wise men in their skill,
And shepherds in their harmless will.
Wise men, in tracing nature’s laws,
Ascend unto the highness cause;
Shepherds with humble fearfulness
Walk safely, though their light be less:
Though wise men better know the way,
It seems no honest heart can stay.
There is no merit in the wise
But love – the shepherds’ sacrifice.
Wise men, all ways of knowledge past,
To th’ shepherds’ wonder come at last;
To know can only wonder breed,
And not to know is wonder’s seed.
A wise man at the altar bows
And offers up his studied vows
And is received. May not the tears
Which spring too from a shepherds’ fears
And sighs upon his frailty spent,
Though not distinct, be eloquent?
’Tis true the object sanctifies
All passions which within us rise
But since no creature comprehends
The cause of causes, end of ends,
He who himself vouchsafes to know
Best pleases his creator so.
When then our sorrows we apply
To our own wants and poverty
When we look up in all distress
And our own misery confess,
Sending both thanks and prayers above,
Then though we do not know, we love.
As we enter the Season of Epiphany we are thankful in our celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ Child. May the light of the Star of Bethlehem guide us, and the light of Christ be with us always, Amen.
New Year’s Blessings!
Father Eric