Celtic Daily Prayer

To complete our month of exploring Celtic Daily Prayer, I share the mid-day canticle used by the Northumbria Community:

Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days;

that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy,

that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;

and establish Thou the work of our hands.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;

and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.

It is said that beauty is seen in the eyes of the beholder. This literally means: that the perception of beauty is subjective - people can have differing opinions on what is beautiful. So what one person perceives as flawless and captivating might be ordinary or unappealing to another.

The concept that each individual has a different inclination of what is beautiful first appeared in the 3rd century BC in Greek. According to Plato, the sense of beauty is itself transient in nature. So, a thing beautiful for one might not be beautiful for the other.

Interestingly, Peter speaks of beauty this way; “Your beauty should not come from outward adornments, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.” 1 Peter 3:3-4

Charles William Eliot (1834-1926), former president of Harvard University, had a birthmark on his face that bothered him greatly. As a young man, he was told that surgeons could do nothing to remove it. Someone described that moment as "the dark hour of his soul."  Eliot's mother gave him this helpful advice: "My son, it is not possible for you to get rid of that hardship...But it is possible for you, with God's help, to grow a mind and soul so big that people will forget to look at your face." 

Surely, the essence of this beauty is succinctly put in a verse by Albert Orsborn

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All his wonderful passion and purity,
O thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine,
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

Just think, that when Jesus appeared to the disciples he did so with nail prints in his hand; now that’s a beauty to behold!

Lord God, I want to see the little things

That bring beauty to my day

That make me smile and grateful to be alive.

I want to be attentive to

Even the tiniest way in which

You show your love and care for me.

When I’m overwhelmed by my circumstances,

When I’m fearful of the days ahead,

When I’m sad and upset,

Show me how to be

thankful

For every little thing that is delightful,

For every single person who is wonderful,

For even one moment when I experience

The beauty of Your peace, love, and grace

In my life.

Amen