Hark!

Hark! my lover–here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills. My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Here he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices. My lover speaks; he says to me, "Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! "For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!

"O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, Let me see you, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, and you are lovely." (Song of Songs 2:8-14)

Very sweet.  Still, a bit strange of a reading as we approach the winter solstice.  The winter is not past.  Then again, flowers do appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land.  We northerners have a bias against the Southern Hemisphere where it is summer.  Time to head for Australia.  

Perhaps this reading reminds us that we are one world with shared worldwide problems ranging from climate change to horrific wars.  Recognizing our “oneness,” I suggest we might say to our fellow world inhabitants: “Hark! our friends. Your voices are sweet, and you are lovely. Let us see you, let us hear your voices."

Deacon David Pierce