myrrhsea ~Poems, Prayers and Words of Wisdom~


Poetry, my dear friends, is a sacred incarnation of a smile.
Poetry is a sigh that dries the tears. 
Poetry is a spirit who swells in the soul,
whose nourishment is the heart,
whose wine is affection.
Poetry that comes not in this form is a false messiah.
~Kahlil Gibran~

Words on Animals	Words on Peace	Wisdom of the Desert Fathers
More Words of Wisdom	Devotionals and Prayers

Wisdom from the Desert Fathers

v      "The fathers… kept the commandments; their successors wrote them down; but we have placed their books on the shelves. And even if we want to read them, we do not have the application to understand what is said and to put it into practice; we read them either as something incidental, or because we think that by reading them we are doing something great, thus growing full of pride. We do not realize that we incur greater condemnation if we do not put into practice what we read… And we should remember what the Lord says about the servant who knew his master’s will but failed to carry it out (cf. Lk. 12:47)."
~ St. Peter of Damaskos (The Philokalia Vol. 3
v      A holy soul cares for his neighbor, either close at hand or far away. He cares where the homeless will spend the night, how the hungry will Be fed, with what the naked will be clothed. He cares and he prays for The salvation of his neighbors: that their hearts may be filled with Love towards God, that their minds may be directed towards God, that the wicked may turn from the paths of wickedness, that the hesitant may be confirmed in the Faith, that the firm may persevere, that the departed may behold the Face of God, that the living may be written in the Book of Life in the Kingdom of Light.
~ St. Nikolai Velimirovic
v      "If you are fond of dressing elegantly, or when you put on your clothes, think of the incorruptible garment of righteousness in which our souls should be arrayed, or of Jesus Christ Who is our spiritual raiment, as it is said: 'For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ' (Gal. 3:27)."
v      "When despondency seizes us, let us not give in to it. Rather, fortified and protected by the light of faith, let us with great courage say to the spirit of evil: "What are you to us, you who are cut off from God, a fugitive fro Heaven, and a slave of evil? You dare not do anything to us: Christ, the Son of God, has dominion over us and over all. Leave us, you thing of bane. We are made steadfast by the uprightness of His Cross. Serpent, we trample on your head."
~ St. Seraphim of Sarov.
v      When Abba Anthony thought about the depth of the judgments of God, he asked, "Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?" He heard a voice answering him, "Anthony, keep your attention on yourself. These things are according to the judgment of God, and it is not to your advantage to know anything about them."
v      "Of course, it would be easier to get to paradise with a full stomach, all snuggled up in a soft feather-bed, but what is required is to carry one's cross along the way, for the kingdom of God is not attained by enduring one or two troubles, but many!"
~Elder Anthony of Optina [source unknown]
v      Never confuse the person, formed in the image of God, with the evil that is in him; because evil is but a chance misfortune, an illness, a devilish reverie. But the very essence of the person is the image of God, and this remains in him despite every disfigurement.
~St. John of Kronstadt
v      A rambunctious young man told an elderly monk, "I don't believe there is a God." "Come near me," the monk said. "Don't you know that the cicada you hear singing this moment is telling about God? Don't you see my little kitten's fur, how it is? Not even Queen Frederika owned a coat like this." The young man was moved by the elder's words. The hardness of his unbelief vanished.
~ Athonite Gerontikon
v      "He who walks with wise men becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm" (Proverbs 13:20).
This reminds me of what very wise, old monk once said:
"Whoever enters a perfume shop, even if he does not purchase any perfume, leaves filled with the pleasant, fragrant odors because it has permeated his clothing. The same thing happens to those who associate with holy and righteous people. You take upon yourself the spiritual aroma of their virtue and piety - perhaps without even realizing it."
v      "Undistracted prayer is a sign of love for God; but careless or distracted prayer is a sign of love for pleasure." ~Saint Kosmas Aitolos +1779
v      "The man who stores up injuries and resentments and yet fancies that he prays might as well draw water from a well and pour it into a cask that is full of holes." ~Evagrius [On Prayer, 22 c. AD 395]
v      Abba Anthony said:
whoever sits in solitude and is quiet has escaped 3 wars those of hearing, speaking and seeing. Then there is one war left to fight and that is the battle of your own heart ~sayings of Elders
v      Keep a careful watch on yourself. Do not allow yourself to be swept away by external obsessions. The tumultuous movements of the soul, in particular, can be rendered quiet by stillness. But if you keep encouraging and stimulating them, they will start to terrorize you an can disorder your whole life. Once they are in control, it is as hard to heal them as it is to soothe a sore that we can't stop scratching.
v      If we believe in the Lord, we will stand in awe of his judgment, and this fear of judgment can serve to rein in our reckless obsessions. Once we have gained control here, we should also learn to accept sufferings patiently. This hope in God begins to disconnect our spiritual intellect from all material obsessions. When our intellect has been liberated, it will finally possess the love of God. ~Maximus the Confessor
v      Discipline your flesh with fasting and vigils and apply yourself assiduously to the recitation of the Psalter and to prayer, then the sanctifying gift of self-control will descend on you bringing love with it. ~Maximus the Confessor

Words on Animals

v      We ate no flesh in Eden, but afterwards, when things got hard, we forgot the peaceful kinship of that ancient kingdom. As our teeth sank into their flesh we had to deny them. So we said they had no souls, no reason, no thumbs, no speech. We were so different. We made a chain of things to protect us-fire, medicine, our locking houses, many kinds of clothes. And we renamed them-farm product, fur crop, renewable resource. Pray that we will see their faces again in the mirror of creation, the miracle of animals, their clear eyes meaning more than profit to our own. ~Jean Pearson~
v      May all thing move and be moved in me and know and be known in me. May all creation dance for joy within me ~Chinook Psalter~
v      Breath freezes on my lips to moan: as one alone once not alone, I sit and knock at Nature's door, Heart-bare, heart-hungry, very poor, Whose desolated days go on. I knock and cry,-Undone, undone! Is there no help, no comfort,-none? No gleaning in the wide wheat-plains Where others drive their loaded wains? My vacant days go on, go on. This Nature, though the snows be down, Thinks kindly of the bird of June: The red hip on the tree Is ripe for such. What is for me, Whose days so winterly go on? No bird am I, to sing in June And dare not ask an equal boon. Good nests and berries red are Nature's To give away to better creatures,- And yet my days go on, go on. ~Elizabeth Barret Browning~ (excerpts taken from) De Profundis v      Voice of the Voiceless I am the Voice of the Voiceless Through me the dumb shall speak 'Til the world's deaf ear be made to hear The wrongs of the wordless weak. Oh shame on the mothers of mortals Who do not stoop to teach The sorrow that lies in dear dumb eyes The sorrow that has no speech. From street, from cage, from kennel From stable and from zoo The wail of my tortured kin proclaims the sin Of the mighty against the frail. But I am my brother's keeper And I shall fight their fight And speak the word for beast and bird Till the world shall set things right. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox-
v      Praise be my Lord God for all his creatures, and especially for our brother the sun, who brings us the day and who brings us the light; fair is he and shines with a very great splendor.. Praise be my Lord for our sister the moon, and for the stars, the which he has set clear and lovely in heaven. Praised be my Lord for our brother the wind, and for air and cloud, calms and all weather... Praise be my Lord for our sister water, who is very serviceable unto us and humble and precious and clean. Praise be my Lord for our brother fire, through whom thou givest us light in darkness, and he is bright and pleasant and very mighty and strong. Praise be my Lord for our mother the earth, and the which doth sustain us and keep us, and bringeth forth divers fruits and flowers of many colors and grass... Praise ye and bless my Lord, and give Him thanks, and serve Him with great humility. ~St. Francis of Assisi~ 1181-1226
v      A Prayer for Animals Hear our humble prayer, O God for our friends the animals. Especially for animals wo are suffering; for any that are hunted, or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful. ~Albert Schwietzer~
v      "The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated" ~Gandhi~
v      The only calendar I need is just outside my window. With eyes to see and ears to hear, nature keeps me posted. ~Alfred A Montepart~
v      Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections,
predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to. ~Alfred A Montepart~
v      Auguries of Innocence ~ To see a World in a grain of sand, and Heaven in a wild flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an hour.
A robin redbreast in a cage Puts all Heaven in a rage. A dove-house fill'd with doves and pigeons Shudders Hell thro' all its regions.
A dog starv'd at his masters gate Predicts the ruin of the State. A horse misus'd upon the road Call to Heaven for human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted hare A fibre from the brain does tear. A skylark wounded in the wing, A cherubim does cease to sing.
The game-cock clipt and arm'd for fight Does the rising sun affright. Every wolf's and lion's howl Raises from Hell a Human soul.
The wild deer wandering here and there, Keeps the Human from care. The lamb misus'd breeds public strife, And yet forgives the butcher's knife.
The bat that flits at the close of eve, Has left the brain that won't believe. The owl that calls upon the night Speaks the unbeliever's fright.
He who shall hurt the wren Shall never be belov'd by men. He who the ox to wrath has mov'd Shall never be by woman lov'd.
The wanton boy that kills the fly Shall feel the spider's enmity. He who torments the chafer's sprite Weaves a bowers in the endless night.
The caterpillar on the leaf Repeats to thee thy mother's grief. Kill not the moth nor butterfly, For the Last Judgment draweth nigh.
He who shall train the horse to war Shall never pass the polar bar. The beggar's dog and widow's cat Feed them, and thou wilt grow fat.
The gnat that sings his summer song Posion gets from slanders tongue. The posion of the snake and the newt Is the sweat of Envy's foot.
The poison of the honey-bee Is the artist's jealousy. The princes's robes and the beggar's rags Are toadstools on the misers bags.
A truth's that's told with bad intent Beats all the lies you can invent. It is right it should be so; Man was made for joy and woe; And when this we rightly now, Thro' the world we safely go.
Joy and woe are woven fine, A clothing for the soul divine; Under every grief and pine Runs a joy with silken twine.
The babe is more than swaddling bands; Throughout all these human lands Tools were made, and born were hands, Every farmer understands.
Every tear from every eye Becomes a babe in Eternity; This is caught by Females bright, And return'd to it's own delight.
The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar Are waves that beat on Heaven's shore. The babe that weeps the rod beneath writes revenge in realms of death.
The beggar's rags, fluttering in air, Does to rags the heavens tear. The soldier, arm'd with sword and gun, Palsied strikes the summer's sun.
The poor man's farthing is worth more Than all the the gold on Afric's shore. One mite wrung from the labourer's hands Shall buy and sell the miser's lands; Or, if protected from on high, Does that whole nation sell and buy,
He who mocks the infant's faith Shall be mock'd in Age and Death. He who shall teach the child to doubt The rotting grave he shall never get out. He who respects the infant's faith Triumphs over Hell and Death. The child's toys and the old man's reasons Are the fruits of two seasons.
The questioner, who sits so sly, Shall never know how to reply. He who replies to words of Doubt Doth put the light of knowledge out.
The strongest poison ever known Came from Cesar's laurel crown. Nought can deform the human race Like the armour's iron brace.
When gold and gems adorn the plough To peaceful arts shall Envy bow. A riddle, or the cricket's cry, Is to Doubt a fit reply.
The emmet's inch and eagle's mile Make lame Philosophy to smile. He who doubts from what he sees Will ne'er believe, do what you please.
If the Sun and Moon doubt, They'd immediately go out. To be in a passion you good may do, But no good if a passion is in you.
The whore and the gambler, by the state Licensed, build that's nation's fate. The harlot's cry from street to street Shal weave Old England's winding sheet.
The winner's shout, the loser's curse, Dance before dead England's hearse. Every night and every morn Some to misery are born. Every morn and every night Some are born to sweet delight. Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.
We are led to believe a lie When we see not thro' the eye, Which was born in a night, to perish in a night, When the soul slept in beams of light. God appears and God is light, To those poor souls who dwell in Night; But does a Human Form display To those who dwell in realms of Day. ~William Blake~

Index

Words on Peace

v      "Until we extend the circle of our compassion to all living things, we will not ourselves find peace." ~ Dr. Albert Schweitzer
v      Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy. ~Rabbi Abraham Heschel~
v      Calmness is the living breath of God's immortality in you.~Paramahansa Yogananda~
v      Peace is the alter of God, the condition in which happiness exists. ~Paramahansa Yogananda~
v      Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. ~Buddha~
v      The greatest prayer is patience. ~Buddha~
v      The best way to know God is to love many things. ~Vincent van Gogh~
v      Listen Listen, to the rain that beats upon the ground open your heart to the sound of the angels shedding tears for a world that was created in beauty, peace, and love Listen, to the children laughing as they play open your hearts and hear through the children's joy for a world that was created in beauty, peace, and love Listen to the tears of a mother as she cries for their future when yet another forest is cut.... beauty gone when yet another war breaks out.... peace gone for a world that was created in beauty, peace and love Listen, to the sounds of all things in nature open your hearts to the sounds and bring hope for the children of today and tomorrow for a world that was created in beauty, peace, and love Listen, to the rain that beats upon the ground open your hearts to the sounds of the angels shedding tears for a world that was created in beauty, peace, and love. ~Guenivere~
Peace sister!
v      A Zen student came to Bankei and complained: "Master, I have an ungovernable temper. How can I cure it?" "You have something very strange," replied Bankei. "Let me see what you have." "Just now I can not show it to you," replied the other. "When can you show it to me?" asked Bankei. "It arrises unexpectedly," replied the student. "Then," concluded Bankei, "It must not be your own true nature. If it were you could show it to me at any time. When you were born you did not have it, and your parents did not give it to you. Think that over."

Index

Prayers and Devotionals

Here are a few prayers that I offer for personal weaknesses I find I need help with.

(This, the "Jesus Prayer", is central to we Orthodox Christians, and one I pray unceasingly.>
v      Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
v      Lenten Prayers
Almighty Master, who created all things in wisdom, by Thy providence and great goodness, Thou hast led us to this lenten season for purification of our souls and bodies, and for control of our passions in the hope of the resurrection; Thou, who after forty days gave Moses the tablets of the law inscribed by Thy divine hand, grant to us the strength to fight the good fight, to fast, to keep the faith, to crush under foot all evil demons, and to become victorious over sin and to celebrate Thy holy Resurrection. For blessed and glorified is Thy most honored and majestic name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
v      Prayer of St. Ephram of Syria O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, dispair, lust for power and idle talk. Instead, give the spirit of self-denial, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. Yea O Lord and King, grant that I may see my own transgressions and not judge others, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen
v      Prayer for Creation God our Father, open our eyes to see Your hand at work in the splendor of creation, in the beauty of human life. Touched by Your hand our world is holy. Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us, to share Your blessings with our brothers and sisters, and to experience the joy of life in Your presence. We as this through Christ our Lord. Amen
v      Prayer for Correct Speech Wise Father, grace me with wisdom in speech today. May I weigh my words carefully. Let me mean what I say and say waht I mean and listen attentively. Allow me silence until the opportune time comes. May I be quick to hear, thoughtful in reply and slow to anger. Let me recall again the Master's example who encouraged faith, praised compassion, rebuked when rebuke was needed, pinpointed sin, and spoke the words of life. What may I speak for thee today? Amen E. Lee Phillips
v      Prayer for Guidence O God from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by Your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by Your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ or Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen
v      Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord Make me an Instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Divine Master, grant that I may not seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it isin pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are bourne to eternal life.

Index

More Words of Wisdom

v      The Pearl Said one oyster to a neighboring oyster, "I have a great pain within me It is heavy and round and I am in distress." And the other oyster replied with haughty complacence, "Praise be to the heavens and to the sea, I have no pain within me. I am well and whole both within and without." At that moment a crab was passing by and heard the two oysters, and he said to the one who was well and whole both within and without, "yes, you are well and whole; but the pain that your neighbor bears is a pearl of great beauty." ~Kahlil Gibran~
v      How do we love God, whom we do not see, if we do not love another whom we do see?
~Mother Teresa~ (quoting 1 Jn 4:20)
v      Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.
~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.~
v      ...it is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes~
v      You can never do a kindness to soon, because you never know how soon it will be too late. ~Anonymous~
v      Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul
can be a true master. For this reason mastry demands all of a person. ~Albert Einstein~
v      What lies behind us and lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. ~Ralph Emerson Waldo~
v      To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but at what he aspires to. ~Kahlil Gibran~
v      Four things come not back; the spoken word the spent arrow, the past and the neglected opportunity. ~Omar Idn Al-halif~
v      We are called by God to share in creating our true identity. ~Thomas Merton~
v      If God created shadows it was in order to better emphasize the light. ~Pope John XXIII~
v      "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." Excerpt from "The Velveteen Rabbit" or "How Toys Become Real" by Margery Williams
v      DESIDERATA
Go quietly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they, too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others you may become bitter or vain, for there will always be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of our time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery; but let this not blind you to what virtue there is.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here, and whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

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