At every Mass we hear the priest, "Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread, this wine to offer..." And we respond, "Blessed be God forever!" A lovely brief moment of grateful praise. But it is also a phrase we can take with us through the day, acknowledging the gifts along the way. I've tried it out and left lines at the bottom for you add your own praises.
All that awakens...
noisy flock of sparrows in a bamboo grove,
the English Gothic church made of schist-rock sparkling,
White Pine needles pouring down like rain,
geranium's blood-red flowering — brought in before first frost.
Blessed be God forever!
All that astonishes...
fritillaria bulbs are planted on their sides,
feathered ferns turned bronzy-red,
the compost pile crumbly, warm and black,
the green chasuble's orphrey, blue and gold,
weightless wren's enormous song.
Blessed be God forever!
All that dazzles...
autumn's sunrise pink and yellow,
Witch Hazel's buds—holding orange petals,
the potted cypress leaves lemon scent on my hand,
Monarchs are Mexico bound,
two feet of snow in the drought stricken states.
Blessed be God forever!
All that is marvelous...
Van Gogh's pounding waves — white paint squeezed right out of the tube,
crisped sycamore leaves make clacking sounds in high winds,
morning tea from Kenya and "Ceylon,"
Blue Heron's appearing — its vertical flight,
waking seconds before the black cast iron clock strikes a long mid-night.
Blessed be God forever!
All that is praise-stirring...
this morning's conscious breath,
first thought of God — creative gift-giver,
first thought of Christ's kindness; his Mother's joy,
hearing weather — wind and rain on my window,
tonight's waning crescent — deep yellow-green.
Blessed be God forever!
All that is wonderment...
God's patience with our stupidity and death-stained sin,
a lawn-full of gray acorn-ing squirrels,
the seven year old, styling a yellow yarmulke, zooming around on his Shabbat scooter,
Robin's request—"Are the holly berries ripe?"
September through October—God's resplendent smile.
Blessed be God forever!
All that is delightful...
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