A Feast of Simplicity

Yesterday was the feast day of George Herbert, a wealthy man who gave it all up to become a priest in a tiny parish in England in the early 1600s. George Herbert is famous for saying, "Nothing is little in God's service." Herbert was a writer and a poet, but didn't use his great talents for fame or fortune. He wrote because it was what he felt called to do. It was what he was good at, what he had to offer God.

At the end of his life, when Herbert knew he was dying, he sent his poetry to his friend, Nicholas Ferrar. His intent was for Nicholas to enjoy his poems and then to get rid of them. But Nicholas published them. It's a good thing he did, too, because Herbert's poetry is some of the most beautiful poetry we have from the early 17th century.

Here's one of his poems - a favorite of mine - entitled "Prayer"

Prayer the Churches banquet, Angels age
Gods breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav'n and earth;

Engine against th' Almightie, sinners towre,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-daies world transposing in an houre,
A kinde of tune, which all things heare and fear;

Softnesse, and peace, and joy, and love, and blisse,
Exalted Manna, gladnesse of the best,
Heaven in ordinaire, man well drest,
The milkie way, the bird of Paradise,

Church-bels beyond the starres heard, the souls bloud,
The land of spices; something understood.

May your prayer take you to a deeper understanding of the glorious simplicity found in living out one's true calling.
Blessings,
Janet+