THE JEWELLER OF SOULS - SONG

 

The Jeweller of Souls

(to the tune of public domain hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” by Robert Robinson)

(Sing with prayerful, soulful tone)

Verse 1;

When God looked down on His nation,
Dwelling in the desert sand.
He chose craftsmen for His station,
Gifted by His Holy Hand.
Bezalel wrought gold with splendour,
Aholiab did labour too;
For the Lord, they shaped great beauty,
Faithful in the work they knew.

Verse 2;

Filigree and shining treasure,
Precious stones in radiant flame.
Hammered out with skill and measure,
Fashioned for God’s holy Name.
Topaz glowed with wisdom’s brightness,
Amethyst with royal grace.
Pearls proclaimed the soul’s steadfastness,
Rubies burned through sacrifice.

Verse 3;

(Modulate to one key higher for the next verse)

Sapphires shone with loyal spirit,
Constant through the darkest days.
Every jewel seemed to mirror,
Hearts refined through holy ways.
For the Lord still calls His people,
To a temple, not of stone;
But within the soul’s deep chamber,
God would fashion as His own.

Verse 4;

We ourselves must be the dwelling,
Where the lamps of grace are bright;
Where the incense of our praying,
Rises upward day and night.
Let our virtues shine like jewels,
Set within the inward shrine;
Let our thoughts and deeds be holy,
Consecrated to Divine.

Verse 5;

When the griefs of life surround us,
Sorrows, losses, pain, and tears;
These are tools the Master uses,
Through the polishing of years.
All our pride and roughness yielding,
Slowly shaped by Heaven’s art,
Till at last the Lord beholds there,
A pure jewel in the heart.

Verse 6;

As the ancient craftsmen laboured,
For the Holy One above;
Let us labour in His Service,
Fashioned daily by His Love.
Then, when we shall stand before Him,
At the ending of our days;
He shall find His Image shining,
Through our lives of prayer and praise.

Verse 7;

(Modulate to one key higher for the next verse)

Not in gold that may fade slowly,
Not in earthly gems that dim;
But in souls made bright and holy,
With beauty meant for Him.
May we find the Divine Jeweller,
Who works through all our days;
To make us pure and holy,
Fit to offer heaven'ly praise.

Verse 8;

(First four lines of the tune)

(Rallentando)

Not in gold that may fade slowly,
Not in earthly gems that dim;
But in souls made bright and holy,
With beauty meant for Him.

Inspired by Exodus chapter 24, 25, 35 and 39

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "God, the Jeweller of our souls" 

THE JEWELLER OF SOULS

 

The Jeweller of souls

When God looked down on Israel’s camp,
Amid the desert’s sunlit lamp;
He chose two men with gifted hand,
To shape His House at His command.

Bezalel with wisdom richly blessed,
Aholiab whose talent was no less;
They wrought with silver, gold, and flame,
For glory of the Holy Name.

With filigree so fine and fair,
And precious stones beyond compare;
They carved and hammered through the night,
Till sacred things shone forth in light.

Topaz gleamed with wisdom bright,
Amethyst with royal light;
Pearl spoke soft of constant grace,
Ruby burned through sacrifice.

Sapphire told of steadfast ways,
Of loyalty through nights and days;
Each jewel set with patient art,
As though God shaped the human heart.

For even now the Lord still calls
Within our souls’ deep hidden halls;
Not now to build with earthly stone,
But shape the temple of our own.

Our bodies are His courts below,
Where sacred lamps are meant to glow;
Our souls the chambers set apart,
The Holy Place within the heart.

Let incense rise in faithful prayer,
Like fragrant sweetness in the air;
Let virtue gleam like jewels rare,
Adorning spirits bowed in care.

When the trials of life descend,
Sent not to crush us, but to mend,
Grinding sorrows, losses, tears,
Weight and polishing of years -

These rub against our roughened side,
Against our anger, fear, and pride;
Till slowly, through the Master’s art,
A gem is fashioned in our heart.

As craftsmen laboured for the Lord
According to His holy Word;
So let us strive with all our days,
To fashion lives of prayer and praise.

That when at last before Him stand,
The souls long shaped by His own Hand;
God may behold with loving Eye,
A beauty none on earth could buy.

Not clothed in gold that fades away,
Nor jewels that perish in decay;
But inward splendour, pure and bright,
Made radiant in His heavenly sight.

THE ARTISANS CALLED BY GOD

"And Moses said to the children of Israel, "See the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship; to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship. 

"And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver - those who do every work and those who design artistic works." (Exodus 35:30-35)

"And they set onyx stones, enclosed in gold filigree settings; they were engraved, as signets are engraved, with the names of the sons of Israel. He put them on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses." (Exodus 39:6-7)

"And they mounted four rows of stones upon it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings." (Exodus 39:10-13)

"And they saw the God of Israel; and under His Feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself." (Exodus 24:10)

"Then have them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8)

The poem was inspired by the Book of Exodus, chapters 24, 25, 35 and 39

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "God, the Jeweller of our souls" 

THE LORD SPOKE TO THE RAVENS

 

"Then the Word of the LORD came to Elijah. "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there."

So he did with the LORD told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook." [1 Kings 17:2-6]

The ravens brought him bread

Upon the lonely mountain side,
Where shadowed cliffs and dark caves hide;
The prophet rested, worn and weak,
With hollow heart and parchéd cheek.

Beside the brook in Kerith vale,
Where desert winds and shadows pale
Didst sweep across the rugged stone -
Elijah thought himself alone.

Yet God Who formed the earth and sky,
Who hears the smallest sparrow cry -
Spoke softly through the morning air
To creatures of His tender care.

The ravens heard the Lord Most High,
Who guides the eagle when to fly;
They searched the villages around,
Till bread for Elijah they had found.

At break of dawn their wings took flight,
Again they came by fading light;
With morsels borne in beaks so small,
Obeying faithfully God’s own call.

The brook flowed cool beside the cave,
A quiet stream God kindly gave;
Each drop a whisper from above:
“I keep thee in My watchful love.”

O why then do our hearts despair,
And tremble underneath life’s care?
Why fear tomorrow’s unknown way,
When God sustains both night and day?

The Lord Who taught the birds to feed,
Knows every sorrow, want, and need;
The One Who clothed the lilies fair,
Still watches all with patient care.

He speaks to all who live on earth,
All creatures whom His Word gave birth;
Forests, oceans, stars above,
All move according to His Love.

Yet we, who share this world so bright,
Too often wound instead of light;
We scorn the creatures by our side,
Though all in God’s own Hand abide.

The lamb, the raven, deer, and dove,
Were fashioned by the God of Love;
Our neighbours all beneath the sun
Belong unto the Holy One.

Then let us trust as Elijah did,
When all the world from sight was hid;
For even in the darkest cave,
The Lord remembers still to save.

When our hearts grow faint with fear,
May Heaven’s gentle Voice draw near:
“The God Who fed the ravens then,
Will surely care for thee again.”

The poem was inspired by 1 Kings 17:2-26

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Prophet and the Ravens" 

WHEN THE BOOK OF MY LIFE IS OPENED

 

When the book of my life is opened

One day there will be a reckoning, when all our days are told,
When every hidden thought is known, when time itself unfold;
Each of us shall stand there, before the judgment Throne,
Before the gaze of Christ our Lord, no merit of our own.

He will ask with piercing light, yet mercy in His Tone,
“What did you do with My Word, the seed that I have sown?
Were you faithful to My teaching, your footsteps true and right?
Or did you turn away from Me, and wander from My Light?”

I may answer, truthfully, “Lord, my life book has seen blot;
I sinned in word and silence, oft the better path forgot;
I hurt others, I did falter; I failed in love and deed,
And often acted blindly, unperceiving others’ need.

Yet through it all, I sought You; though stumbling on my way.
I tried to rise when fallen, to begin anew each day.
When I looked upon You, Lord, upon the Cross You bore,
I found the strength to stand again, when I could stand no more.

For even as You fell for me, beneath that heavy wood,
My heart was strangely lifted up to choose what once I should;
And so I learned in weakness, in sorrow and in pain,
That falling is not final when Your Mercy lifts again.

Yes, my book was marked and written. with faults beyond deny -
There were times I turned away, compassion passed me by;
There were moments I grew silent. when I should have stood for right,
When others’ pain lay open, and I failed them in their plight.

Yet still Your Mercy softened me, like rain upon dry ground,
In cracks of brokenness, Your healing Grace I found;
Slowly, imperfectly, I learned to love and give,
In Your Word and Sacrament, I learned again to live.

Oh, dear Lord, I cast myself, upon Your Mercy's Flame,
No great holiness of mind and soul, are ever mine to claim.
I only ask that when You look into this heart of mine,
You see the work of Your own Hand; and faintest trace of Thine.

Though my book is written in with pages stained and worn,
Still let Your Mercy gather what in love was truly born.
Let Your gentle hands, O Saviour, sift the gold from all my clay;
Please keep what was of You in me -  let the rest all pass away.

Poem inspired by Rev Vanessa's sermon

Image courtesy of ChatGPT and CN Whittle "Devotion before Royal Throne"

                                                               ********************

Public sermon by Reverend Vanessa Wyse Jackson December 2014; Dublin Ireland - 

"One day, there will be a reckoning. Jesus will ask us, what did we do with His Word in our lives?"

                                                                  Reverend Vanessa Wyse-Jackson

WHEN THE WORD ASKS US

 

"One day, there will be a reckoning. Jesus will ask us, what did we do with His Word in our lives?"

                                                                  Reverend Vanessa Wyse-Jackson

Public sermon by Reverend Vanessa Wyse Jackson December 2014; Dublin Ireland

When the Word asks us

When all is stilled at journey’s end,
And earth no longer claims as friend;
When time gives way to endless day,
As all our deeds stand clear as clay.

Before the Throne where silence burns,
As every heart at truth-table turns;
We hear a Voice both just and kind,
That searches every soul and mind.

“What did you do with Word I gave,
The light I sent, the power to save?
Did you receive, did you abide,
Or let it lie there cast aside?”

For not in dust upon a shelf,
Nor words admired but kept for self;
Does living truth traverse earth's breadth,
But in true witness of devotion-depth.

So let us read and let us pray,
While we walk the narrow Way;
Not hearers only, but made whole,
God's Word engraved upon our soul.

Let us the Word of Life embrace,
To mirror Christ in every place;
That others, thirsting, might be fed
With Living Waters Christ has shed.

Until the ends of all the earth
Have known the Saviour’s costly worth,
And everyone in every land
Has honoured God's most loving Hand.

Lest we arrive at that great Throne,
To shamed stand silent, much to atone;
May joy be found in what we’ve done:
“My child, you lived the Word - well done.”

Poem inspired by Rev Vanessa's sermon

Image courtesy of ChatGPT and CN Whittle "Judgement"

THE KINGDOM GROWS IN SILENCE - SONG

 

The Kingdom Grows in Silence

From but a mustard seed so small,
God’s Kingdom once was sown;
A tender shoot through earth arose,
By grace and mercy grown.

Though hidden first from human eyes,
Its roots spread deep and wide;
And weary souls from every land,
Found shelter there to bide.

The birds of air came seeking rest
Within the branches broad;
The weary burdened found their peace,
Beneath the tree of God.

As leaven hidden in the bread,
Moves softly through the whole;
So does Christ’s Mercy gently work,
Within the seeking soul.

No trumpet sound, no worldly throne,
No pride nor earthly fame;
Yet hearts are changed and lives renewed
Through calling on His Name.

So let us walk with humble love,
And ease each other’s strain;
While God doth raise the smallest seed,
To bless our earth again.

Lord, make Thy Church a living tree,
Whose branches open wide;
That all who seek may find true rest
And safely there abide.

Till all creation comes to know,
The peace Thy mercies bring;
And every heart in every land,
Rejoice that Christ is King.

This song may be sung to the public domain tune of "Amazing Grace," whose reflective and prayerful melody beautifully suits the spirit of the Parables of the Leaven and Mustard seed. To be in the public domain, means that it can be used freely without permission.

This hymn was inspired by the writing of GMA Jansen (Fr Norbert OP), page 15 of Pro Veritate Volume V No. 12. Baptism and Co-Existence. 15 April 1967

If you wish to know more about the article "Baptism and Co-Existence," please click in the following link:

https://sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/archive-files/PvApr67.pdf

With thanks to sahistory.org.za

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Divine Blessing" 

SAINT ATHENAGORAS OF ATHENS - SONG

 

Saint Athenagoras of Athens

In ages dim of ancient days,
When fear opposed the Christian ways,
There rose a voice so calm and wise,
With mercy shining through his eyes.
Saint Athenagoras stood near,
To speak sweet truth when hearts knew fear;
With patient word and gentle art,
He brought God’s Light to mind and heart.

He answered not with wrathful flame,
Nor sought for gold or earthly fame;
But through the wisdom God had given,
He turned men's thoughts from earth to Heaven.
He taught that life is sacred still,
Not ours to wound by cruel will;
For every soul bears God above,
And each was fashioned by His Love.

He mourned the Cross on Calvary’s hill,
Where Christ fulfilled the Father’s Will;
The Holy Son of God was slain,
Yet rose to break the bonds of pain.
O saint of Athens, pure and mild,
You showed the Face of God’s dear Child;
The loving Lord whose mercies' breadth,
Outshine the sword and conquer death.

Through writings filled with grace and peace,
You taught that hatred too may cease;
That gentle truth and reason fair,
Can lift the soul from deep despair.
And now, dear saint, for us entreat,
That Christ may guide our wandering feet;
That we may take life’s pen each day,
And write God’s Truth along our way.

Within the parchment of the soul,
May Christ the King become the whole;
That all we think and say and do,
May bear His gentle Light anew.
Then when our earthly race is trod,
And we ascend to Heaven and God,
May you behold with joyful gaze
The fruits of faithful Christian ways.

May you then know us there above
By mercy, gentleness, and love;
For in our hearts Christ’s Voice shall ring  -
The Truth you served while witnessing.

This song may be sung to the public domain tune of “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” (also known as the Passion Chorale), which carries a solemn and devotional beauty fitting for Saint Athenagoras of Athens.

This song was inspired by the life and works of Saint Athenagoras.

CHURCH FATHERS: A Plea for the Christians

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0205.htm

With thanks to newadvent.org

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Divine Light shines upon Saint Athenagoras"