sunlight on my face

oh Creator,

the warmth of your sun

is healing to our cold bodies

and the light to our feet

as we tread our pathway of life.

while i pause –

in its warmth and healing rays,

i ask;

let the love and light of

your only Son be the light

for my pathway;

healing for my thoughts

and body

as i tread my pathway of Life,

Amen.

Stephen Douglas

On a wintery morning, after communion and quiet confession,

while returning to my pew I paused as sunlight fell upon my face

(through a rear window); before I sat in a cooler part of the church.

These words try to capture what this sensational happening was doing.

St Paul’s Waiwhetu, 9am combined service

Praise be you, my Lord, with all your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

who makes the day and enlightens us through you.

And he is lovely, shining with great splendour

for he heralds you, Most High. (Quote from Canticle by St Francis of Assisi)

Brother Sun is an image, a “herald” of the Most High. For St Francis, prayer is basically opening up the mind and heart to God. No words are necessary; only receptivity is required, like standing open-armed, face lifted to the sun. But in trying to make so seemingly simple gesture of turning to God, one ends up turning his or her whole life around. St Francis’ turning toward the Most High God involved a lifetime of turning his life around in order to end up facing God - and this is prayer. [Quoted from page 81, Poetry as Prayer by Murray Bodo; copyrighted 2003, 2015 Murray Bodo, OFM; used with permission: Jeff Campbell’s confirmation email; 24th November ‘19)]