March 12

“The way some persons lay on their life layer after layer of blackness is pitiable; they nurse their grief for the wrongs of men till they have no pleasure but in brooding over darkness. Instead of that they ought to pray - ‘Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.’ The moment we pray that prayer with full desire and yearning, we see that light, and beautiful it is! It wakens all life, all energy, every work and hope and thought. How swiftly when we see it we rise from the dead!”

STOPFORD BROOKE

“Open our eyes, thou Sun of life and gladness,
That we may see that glorious world of thine!
It shines for us in vain, while drooping sadness
Enfolds us here like mist; come, Power benign,
Touch our chilled hearts with vernal smile,
Our wintry course do Thou beguile,
Nor by the wayside ruins let us mourn,
Who have th’ eternal towers for our appointed bourne.”

KEBLE