Nocturnal Praising

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent


Every being is praising God.
The fire has its flame and praises God.
The wind blows the flame and praises God.
In the voice we hear the word which praises God.
And the word, when heard, praises God.
So all of creation is a song of praise to God.

                                                                        Hildegard of Bingen, Scivias

                                                                                                                 painting by Steve Lawton



Waded into the pond of sleep last night while the spring frogs were singing their delight across the wet fields. Their song coming over the distances of what we are outside of like flames through the dark of our worn and tired hearts. 

Listening to the chorus of that damp air 
I became the night music for a time 
before the dreaming;

before my prayer joined the smallest songs
lifting up a swampy profusion 
praising our Lord; 

before the silence, cupping our breath,
blew the psalm into the wide marshes
of the air.