Praying with Poetry
Smashwords Edition
Published by L. Thompson at Smashwords
© July 26, 2011
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Saint Francis: Troubadour of God
Saint Teresa of Avila: Seeking God’s Plan
John Donne: Confronting Our Sinfulness
Gerald Manley Hopkins: Oozing with God’s Grandeur
Francis Thompson: God’s Fugitive
Robert Frost: God’s Naturalist
Sara Teasdale: Living in God’s Love
Helen Steiner Rice: Becoming an Ambassador of “Son”-shine
Philip Larkin: Seeking Healing
Foreword
Prayer is essential to developing a relationship with God. This book introduces a method of using poetry to deepen one’s prayer life. The introduction discusses the psychological aspects of poetry. Allow me to make a few suggestions regarding prayer.
The first suggestion is to make room for prayer in your life. It should take place at a scheduled time on a regular basis in a designated place. Arrange a sacred place in your home designated for prayer. Set a schedule and make every effort to keep to your schedule. It might take six weeks or more adjust to it, so be patient and persevere.
Another suggestion—preview the meditation before praying with it. It is a good idea to know ahead of time the content of the meditation. During prayer, you should read slowly; taking time to contemplate what you are reading and how it relates to you, your life and your relationship with others, including God. Pay special attention to words, phrases and ideas that stand out for you.
One more suggestion—examine the words, phrases or ideas that stand out for you. Discuss their relevancy in your journal. Conclude your journal entry with a resolution. This resolution is your “take-away” to further consider as you go about your day.
These meditations can also be used for group prayer. Group prayer would enable community to learn more about themselves as well as learn about the spiritual journey of community members.
Introduction
Poetry is a form of literature that eludes definition. It is an art form that emerges from the pure human need to express oneself. Poetry that is used for healing and personal growth may be traced back to primitive man who used it in religious rites in which shamans chanted poetic prayers or incantations for the well-being of the group or individual. Ancient poems have been found on Sumerian wax tablets and Egyptian papyrus. The poetic music of a shepherd boy named David date to 1030 BC. It is of interest to note that the first hospital in the United States, Pennsylvania Hospital founded by Benjamin Franklin, employed treatments for their patients which included reading, writing and publishing their poems. Doctor Benjamin Rush, the father of American Psychiatry, included music and poetry as part of his treatments.
Poetry is a powerful therapeutic tool; unique in its use of metaphor, imagery, rhythm and other devices. Freud and Jung among other great figures of medicine recognize the role of literature, like poetry, in the art of healing. By reading and reflecting on literature, such as poetry, the reader identifies and empathizes with the writer. The shared experience is similar to that of a group therapy situation. After all, there is nothing new under the sun.
TROUBADOUR OF GOD
Theme – Each of us is given certain gifts and called to a specific mission in life.
Opening Prayer
Lord, give us listening hearts. Enlighten our minds to discern your call. Strengthen our bodies to serve you be helping others
About Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone. He was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi, and he lived the high-spirited life typical of a wealthy young man, even fighting as a soldier for Assisi. While going off to war in 1204, Francis had a vision that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for his worldly life. On a pilgrimage to Rome, Francis begged with the beggars at St. Peter's. The experience moved him to live in poverty. Francis returned home, began preaching on the streets, and soon amassed a following. His order was endorsed by Pope Innocent III in 1210. He then founded the Order of Poor Clares, which was an enclosed order for women, as well as the Third Order of Brothers and Sisters of Penance. In 1219, he went to Egypt where crusaders were besieging Damietta, hoping to find martyrdom at the hands of the Muslims. By this point, the Franciscan Order had grown to such an extent that its primitive organizational structure was no longer sufficient. He returned to Italy to organize the order. Once his organization was endorsed by the Pope, he withdrew increasingly from external affairs. Though he desired to live in solitude, people sought him out. This is one of the reasons he wrote The Canticle of the Sun.
The Canticle of the Sun, also known as the Laudes Creaturarum (Praise of the Creatures), was written in the Umbrian dialect of Italian but has since been translated into many languages. It is believed to be among the first works of literature, if not the first, written in the Italian language.
The Canticle of the Sun in its praise of God thanks Him for such creations as "Brother Fire" and "Sister Water." It is an affirmation of Francis' personal theology as he often referred to animals as brothers and sisters to mankind, rejected material accumulation and sensual comforts in favor of "Lady Poverty."
Saint Francis is said to have composed most of the canticle in late 1224 while recovering from an illness at San Damiano, in a small cottage that had been built for him by Saint Clare and other women of her order. According to tradition, the first time it was sung in its entirety was by Francis and Brothers Angelo and Leo, two of his original companions, on Francis' deathbed, the final verse praising "Sister Death" having been added only a few minutes before.
Historically, the Canticle of the Sun is first mentioned in the Vita Prima of Thomas of Celano, in 1228. Francis is also credited for the first Christmas manger scene in 1223. In 1224, he received the stigmata, making him the first person to bear the wounds of Christ's Passion. He died in 1226 while singing Psalm 141.
On July 16, 1228, he was pronounced a saint by Pope Gregory IX. He is known as the patron saint of animals, the environment and one of the two patrons of Italy (with Catherine of Siena), and it is customary for Catholic and Anglican churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of 4 October.
Pause: Reflect on your spiritual journey. What steps do you need to take in order to become the person God is calling you to be?
Poet’s Words - Canticle of the Sun
Most High, all powerful, good Lord, /Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor, /and all blessing. /To You alone, Most High, do they belong,/and no man is worthy to mention Your name.
Praise be You, my Lord, with all your creatures, /especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day and/through whom you give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor, /and bears a likeness of You, Most High One. /Praise be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon/and the stars, in heaven you formed them /clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, /and through the air, cloudy and serene, /and every kind of weather through which/You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, /which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, /through whom you light the night and he is beautiful /and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth, /who sustains us and governs us and who produces /varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, /through those who give pardon for Your love,/and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace/for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, /through our Sister Bodily Death,/from whom no living man can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin. /Blessed are those whom death will find/in Your most holy will, /for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord, /and give Him thanks/and serve Him with great humility.
Exercises
Pick one or two elements of nature that Francis mentions and journal about the role this element plays in your life and your spiritual journey
God’s Word – Psalm 113
Hallelujah! Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the LORD be praised. High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens God's glory. Who is like the LORD, our God enthroned on high, looking down on heaven and earth?
The LORD raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap, Seats them with princes, the princes of the people, gives the childless wife a home, the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!