Favorite Poetry: Litany for the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart (Part II)

As promised, here is the rest of the poem.  Please do read both parts! (Last time I did a two-part post, the second one got way less views than the first.)

Also, a most blessed Feast of the Sacred Heart to you all!

via Google Images

Litany for the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart (con't)

by Gertrude von Le Fort

Red-thorn of our gladness, 

Sorrow-thorn of our repentance,

Fair evening glow of our own setting,

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Crimson cloth that turns sin pale as death:

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Ruby stream after which the sick souls thirst:

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Whispering nearness in which parted friends may meet:

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Comforting lamp of the distressed,

Lighthouse of the persecuted and the disgraced,

Hidden chamber in which the gentle dead may yet breathe;

All-knowing Heart, all-guiding Heart, ultimate Heart:

We ask Thee for Thy love!

Heart that takes us all to itself,

Heart that strikes the centre of all our hearts,

Heart that breaks the proud hearts of us all:

We ask Thee for Thy love!

Heart that makes solitude into a great people:

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Heart that makes discord into a united people:

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Heart in which the whole world becomes Thy people:

We consecrate ourselves to Thy love.

Overflowing Heart, overflaming Heart, overstorming Heart:

Be loved, Love, everlasting Love, be everlastingly loved.

That Thy Dawn may break with kindling light,

We consecrate ourselves to Thy love.

That Thy day may bring fire to our hearts,

We consecrate ourselves to Thy love.

That Thy day may burn all our hearts into Thine,

We consecrate ourselves to Thy love.

That Thy day may bring fire to our hearts,

We consecrate ourselves to Thy love,

Mighty Heart, ineluctable Heart, all-consuming Heart.

Fire! Fire!  The angels' wings are burning, the swords of the

seraphim are aflame!  

The lights of heaven are burning, the depths of earth are burning,

rocks and yesterdays are all aflame!

 The expectation of all creatures burns -- the spirit burns in the

darkness of high thought,

All has been taken from love, all must become love; sing "Holy,

Holy, Holy!" rustling flames of the seraphim!

Heart from which the heavens draw their glory,

Heart from which the suns and constellations draw their

beginning and their end,

Heart from which the souls of the blessed draw their blessedness.

World-ordering Heart, world-conquering Heart, Thou only Heart

of hearts:

Amen. Amen.  May the day of Thine infinite love come quickly.

Favorite Poetry: Litany for the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart (Part 1)

In honor of the month of the Sacred Heart, I thought I'd post a bit of this very special poem apparently composed for the feast, which, by the way, is this Friday.  It is very long, so I won't post all of it today - I know that you people grow faint of heart at the prospect of very long pieces of writing.  (And I'm not necessarily blaming you - I get the same way sometimes.)  So I shall post some of it now and then the rest on Friday.

As I was writing it out, I was reflecting that non-Catholics or weak Catholics might find it a bit bizarre or over-the-top.  Well --- all I have to say to that is: let no one say that Catholicism is cold, sterile, or repressive. You can't read this and tell me that the religion inspiring it is repressive.
I think it's one of those poems that have to be pondered - I know a priest who made it the subject of his daily meditations, a stanza every day.  That's my favorite kind of poetry.  And its imagery is just perfect.  Agh, just read it already.  More coming on Friday.

Litany for the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart

by Gertrud von Le Fort 

Now I will pray the ardour of the soul as a great litany is

prayed.  Now I will raise the song of praise that is not sung

but loved.  Blood-red secret of all that is:

Holy Heart, divine Heart, almighty Heart.

Be loved, Love, eternal Love, be thou eternally loved.

Hearth in the dark of the frozen world,

Be loved, Love!

Flame-shadow over all the false brightness of the world,

Be loved, Love!

Burning sign in all the false rest of the world;

Lonely Heart, flaming Heart, unquenchable Heart:

Be loved, everlasting Love.

Heart deep as the nights that have no face:

Be loved!

Heart strong as the waves that have no shores:

Be loved!

Heart tender as little children that have no bitterness:

Be everlastingly loved.

Rose from the flower-beds of the invisible,

Rose from the chalice of the humble maiden,

Blossoming rose-bush, in which heaven and earth are entwined,

Be loved, everlasting Love!

Royal Heart in the flowing mantle of Thy blood:

Be loved!

Brother-Heart in the wild mockery of the thorny crown:

Be loved!

Breaking Heart in the stark ornament of Thy death wounds:

Heart dethroned, Heart betrayed, Heart cruelly martyred:

Be loved, everlasting Love, be everlastingly loved.

Heart before whom the mighty find their knees,

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Heart before whom the careless find their tears:

We ask Thee for Thy love.

Herat in whom thieves and murderers yet find forgiveness,

Great Heart, Heart of mercy, Heart of glory, 

We ask Thee for Thy love!

10,000 Pageviews!

GUYS!  I just checked my stats and I just made 10,000 pageviews!  AHHH THAT'S AMAZING!  Thank you all so much for reading and for putting up with my slow postings.  *gives internet hugs*

I shall put up another post just as soon as I can think of a topic.  It'll probably be a poem, methinks.

The Great Tolkien Debate

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I've spent the last half-hour reading Christopher Tolkien's opinion on the LOTR movies, and then a bunch of comments.  [Note: if you don't want your faith in humanity destroyed, don't read comments.  Ever.]  So now of course I've got to give my opinion.

First, to the commenters (who obviously aren't reading this...): have some respect.  Christopher Tolkien was extremely close to his father and made maps, advised, and acted as his copyist for years.  The man knows what he's talking about.  He's the next-best thing to having Tolkien himself available for criticism.  (Tolkien père would probably have been much more communicative and explanatory, but that's beside the point.)  And Christopher Tolkien is eighty-seven years old.  You can't expect him to be either active in the LOTR phenomenon or accepting of changes to his father's beloved work.

At any rate, in principle I agree with Christopher Tolkien.  There is a great "chasm between the beauty and seriousness of the work, and what it has become."  The changes and many of the choices made by Peter Jackson do make a Tolkien purist, or anyone who understands his vision of his works, cringe.   

However.  First of all, one cannot expect perfection, least of all from Hollywood. Also, there is a huge gap between the culture of the era in which the books were written (and hence Christopher Tolkien's era) and modern culture of the era in which the films are made. I think it would probably be literally impossible to make a film that grasped Tolkien's ideas, was accurate as to characterization and events, was stylistically accurate, and didn't leave anything out.  Peter Jackson is guilty on multiple counts, but he did get some things right - sometimes amazingly right.  Considering what he was up against, he did a fairly good job.  Sometimes.  Agh, I don't know.  It is very confusing.  And I actually haven't even seen The Return of the King.  Anyway, what I wanted to say is that the films, in and of themselves, are gorgeous, glorious works of fantasy.  It's just when you compare them to the books that you run into issues.  But of course, every bookworm knows the maxim that the book is always better than the movie.
 (Note: now I feel a slight bit guilty for my positive-ish review of The Hobbit.)

So yes, Christopher Tolkien is right in condemning the film franchise's deviations, but I think that if you realize that the films are flawed (and make sure you don't get too wrapped up in them), you're fine.

Just in case anyone was wondering, yes, I have had a slight (oh, very slight) relapse into active Tolkien fangirling.  It has to do with reading The Silmarillion and seeing a certain independent film which I shall post about another time.

So, comment and give me your opinion on the LOTR books-vs-movies debate.  I love to discuss these things and hear others' opinions.

Honoring Mary in May

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My little prayer book,The Catholic girl's guide, has a special section for the month of May, and it had a nice list of little ways to honor Our Lady during the month dedicated to her.  I thought you all might like to see some of these ideas and maybe use a few of them yourself!  There are a ton, so I won't post all of them.

• Rise punctually in the morning, invoking her as the "Morning Star."
• Say three Glorias in honor of the saints and Doctors who have explained and defended her prerogatives.
• Gain indulgences for the soul in Purgatory most devoted to the Blessed Virgin in life; offer Mass and communion for this purpose.
• Perform some act of kindness with inconvenience to yourself.
• Say three Hail Marys in reparation for the blasphemies uttered against her.
• Burn a candle before her statue or picture.
• Shun idleness during the day in imitation of Our Lady at Nazareth.
• Say a Hail Mary in honor of the Archangel Gabriel, who brought it to earth.
• Say a Memorare to obtain Mary's help at the hour of death.
• Keep silence for a short time, and with Mary ponder God's words in your heart.
• Say a Hail Mary before going to bed, in order to prevent one mortal sin committed during the night.

May Our Lady bless you during her special month!