Shoveling the chapel steps this morning I noticed the Christmas evergreens I'd attached to the banister and how lovely the cypress, pine cones and juniper berries looked touched with snow. There's a very sweet apocryphal (extra-biblical) story told of the Holy Family being hidden by a juniper tree while in their flight to Egypt, Herod's soldiers in hot pursuit.
Herod's soldiers aren't hunting me down today (though in not a few places Christians have murderous enemies) but I might see the juniper berries and hear the apocryphal story, asking in my prayer to be protected from whatever might do me spiritual harm.
Oh Jesus,
with Mary and Joseph,
concealed neath
juniper branches,
protect me from a calloused,
hardened heart,
from harshness
and a petty spirit,
and bring me in safety
to my own inner Egypt ~
that place of well-being,
of joy and light.
Oh Jesus,
with Mary and Joseph,
concealed neath
juniper branches,
protect me from a calloused,
hardened heart,
from harshness
and a petty spirit,
and bring me in safety
to my own inner Egypt ~
that place of well-being,
of joy and light.
