Bless the Lord, ice and cold … (Canticle of Daniel)
We’ve just marked the winter solstice and, rather fittingly, we’ve had heavy rain, pounding hail, and a bitterly cold wind which cuts to the bone; and also rumours of koontapool (southern right whales) returning to the bay. So this week, you are invited to dwell in a song of praise which calls on rain, wind, frost, cold and even whales to bless the Lord.
If you’re wondering where this prayer comes from, it’s not in the Hebrew or Protestant Bible. Instead, it’s from the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, which has some extra bits; we call them the Apocrypha. The prayer is sometimes referred to as the Canticle of Daniel, and it’s attributed to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who, after being thrown into the fiery furnace and praying for God’s help, sing this.
It’s wonderful for winter, but it points to more. That is, when we find ourselves in situations of danger, challenge or stress, it’s easy to fix our gaze inwards and pray only for ourselves. But here we see people first seeking mercy, yes, but then turning outwards to embrace a vast cosmic reality of blessing and praise. And I wonder, how might this approach colour our own experiences of hard, even impossible, circumstances? What elements would you call on to bless and praise God?
PREPARE: Make yourself comfortable. Uncross your legs; relax your body; uncomplicate your heart. Ask God to help you surrender to whatever it is that God wants to do in you or say to you today. Breathe slowly and deeply in, then out.
2. READ: Read the following passage aloud at least three times through, slowly. Listen carefully. Notice anything which captures your attention.
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
sing praise and highly exalt God forever.
Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord,
bless the Lord, you heavens.
Bless the Lord, all you waters above the heaven,
bless the Lord, all powers.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon,
bless the Lord, stars of heaven.
Bless the Lord, all rain and dew,
bless the Lord, all winds.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat,
bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat.
Bless the Lord, dews and snows,
bless the Lord, ice and cold.
Bless the Lord, frosts and snows,
bless the Lord, nights and days.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness,
bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds.
Let the earth bless the Lord;
let it sing praise and highly exalt God forever.
Bless the Lord, mountains and hills,
bless the Lord, all that grows on the earth.
Bless the Lord, you springs,
bless the Lord, seas and rivers.
Bless the Lord, you whales and all that swim in the waters,
bless the Lord, all birds of the air.
Bless the Lord, all beasts and cattle,
Bless the Lord, you human ones.
Bless the Lord, O Israel;
sing praise and highly exalt God forever.
Bless the Lord, you priests of the Lord,
bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord.
Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous,
Bless the Lord, you who are holy and humble in heart,
sing praise and highly exalt God forever …
Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good,
for God’s mercy endures forever.
All who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods,
sing praise and give thanks to God,
for God’s mercy endures forever.
(drawn from The Song of the Three Holy Children in the Apocypha)
3. REFLECT: Allow a word, phrase or image to speak to you. What do you notice? What emotions do you feel? What questions are bubbling up? Reflect in silence.
4. RELATE: Now wonder: What does this text say about God, people, the earth and prayer? Do you think of the earth and its elements as praising God? Does this uphold, challenge or disrupt any of your attitudes or expectations? In situations of extremity, is this how you usually pray?
5. RESPOND: What is God calling you to now? Pray about this, and tell God about anything which is emerging. If you feel called to action, ask God to show you/us the next step.
6. REST: When you feel ‘done’, rest awhile. Savour the conversation you are having with God, and God’s loving presence. Close with a gesture of thanks: perhaps a simple bow. As you prepare to leave this space, if any word, phrase or image persists, let it guide you. Or if nothing in particular arises, remember this:
- Bless the Lord, ice and cold.
Shalom,
Alison
Emailed to Sanctuary 28 June 2023 © Alison Sampson, 2023. Photo by jen ramona on Unsplash, showing a glimpse of the forest near Kennett River, Wadawurrung Country.
Alison and the whale 