late on the Bl. George

Okay, so something I've learned since starting this blog is that homemaking through the church year often means homemaking through the church year tardily. I keep having important days pass me by, and then a few days later I realize that it happened, and I try to make up for it.

Enough to say: the 27th of February is the day that Anglicans remember the Blessed George Herbert, priest and poet. So, if you, like me, forgot to pay attention to this, pay attention now. (And if you're wondering where I'm getting my dates, let me direct you to the beginning of the Book of Common Prayer, page 15, where begins the Calendar of the Church Year.)

George Herbert has a nice, short little biography written about him (by Izaak Walton) that I finished in my doctor's waiting room over the course of several visits.  If you've been wanting to read the life of a saint who was neither martyr nor revolutionary, but instead just a good, holy man, whose example led others to worship the Lord, this is the saint's life you want to read. (A bonus: it includes a lot in the first few pages about his mother, Magdalene Herbert, who was an amazing woman - among other things, a patroness of John Donne - and a good mother.)


I posted Herbert's poem "Lent" a few days ago. The rest of them are just as worth reading. For you other Anglicans out there, Herbert penned the lyrics to our hymns # 382, 402, 403, 487 & 592. (402 & 403 are the same poem, set to two different tunes.)

My favorites to sing are 382 ("King of glory, King of peace") and 487 ("Come my Way, my Truth, My Life"), but 592 is, I think, perfect for anyone out there who will be doing housework today:

Teach me, my God and King,
in all things thee to see,
and what I do in anything,
to do it as for thee.

All may of thee partake;
nothing can be so mean,
which with this tincture, "for thy sake,"
will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with this clause
makes drudgery divine:
who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,
makes that and the action fine.

This is the famous stone
that turneth all to gold;
for that which God doth touch and own
cannot for less be told.


peace of Christ to you,
Jessica

p.s. Last cool Herbert tidbit: if memory serves, the humble priest never referred to his Lord except to add "my master". As in, "Jesus, my master." Now there's a fruitful habit!