Our Hymn of Grateful Praise: Reflections of a Roman Catholic Woman Priest

We are so blessed in South Florida to have flowers blooming year round. This morning my friend John Hancock sent me pictures he took of the flowers on his lanai in Naples. They are so beautiful that I just had to pass them on. And add some that are just outside of my window. Of these flowers, John said “…they are loving the cool nights and pleasant sunny days. Makes me happy to look at them.” And they lift my spirits and make me happy too so I am hoping they will bring you some joy as well. I believe that they are a hymn of grateful praise to our loving God.

There is an old hymn that fills my heart as I see them-“For The Beauty of the Earth” by Folliot S. Pierpoint, Music, Conrad Kocher, adapted by William H. Monk:

“For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies, For the love which from our birth, Over and around us lies: Lord of all, to you we raise This our hymn of grateful praise”. (Note: the Roman Catholic version of this line reads “This our gift of grateful praise”. Indeed, it is a gift to our loving God, and to those we love, if we remember to say a heart felt thank YOU! Let us jog that memory within us of the love and beauty that is all around us and has been over the years, and will be forever. And let us respond: Thank You , God!

Thank you, John for your exquisite pictures.

And the little ones below and the lovely orange one live on the side of my house.

“Fort the beauty of each hour, Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale and tree and flow’r, Sun and moon and stars of light…Lord of all to you we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.”

The above picture was painted by my mother many years ago and lives forever on my living room wall. There is beauty that lives on forever-that is how I think of my mother who had many struggles but was so beautiful inside and out, and saw only beauty in the world.

“For they joy of human love, Brother,sister,parent,child, Friends on earth and friends above: for all gentle thoughts and mild: Lord of all to You we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise….”

For Your-self, O Gift Divine To our world so freely giv’n, For that love from which will shine, Peace on earth and joy in heav’n”, Lord of all, to you we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.” Alternate last line, from Methodist Hymnal: “For that great,great love of thine, Peace on earth and joy in heaven: Lord of all, to You we raise This our hymn of grateful praise”.

Amen!

“Lord of all, to You we raise, this our gift of grateful praise!”

In thanksgiving and love, bless you,

Pastor Judy Lee, RCWP

The Good Shepherd Community in Fort Myers, Florida

2/20/2024