Lent in Springtime

Today is the first day of spring. May the grace of our Lord be with you this day and all the days of new life in His name.

Psalm 70 (New International Reader's Version)
For the director of music. A prayer of David.

1 God, hurry and save me. Lord, come quickly and help me.
2 Let those who are trying to kill me be put to shame. Let them not be honored. Let all those who want to destroy me be turned back in shame.
3 Some people make fun of me. Let them be turned back when their plans fail.
4 But let all those who look to you be joyful and glad because of what you have done. Let those who love you because you save them always say, "May God be honored!"
5 But I am poor and needy. God, come quickly to me. You are the One who helps me and saves me. Lord, please don't wait any longer.

Prayer in Spring (by Robert Frost)

OH, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orcahrd white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.