Poets & Saints

Scripture 1 John 4:20 (NIV) Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. Refrain I choose to see the good. Quote Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "We must — yes, must — make a daily and even hourly choice to focus on the good, the true, and the beautiful....

Scripture Acts 17:28 (NRSVUE) For "In him we live and move and have our being"; as even some of your own poets have said, "For we too are his offspring." Refrain I am made to participate in beauty. Quote C.S. Lewis, from The Weight of Glory "We do not want merely to see beauty, though, God knows, even that is bounty enough. We want something else which can hardly be put into words — to be united w...

Scripture Romans 5:5 (NIV) And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Refrain Love has been poured into me. Quote Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "I have never met a truly compassionate or loving human being who did not have a foundational and even deep trust in the inherent goodness of human...

Scripture Philippians 4:8–9 (NIV) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Refrain Creation mirrors the goodness of God. Quote St. Bonaventure, from The Soul's Journey into God "Let us place our first step in the ascent at t...

Scripture Romans 8:14–17 (NIV) For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;  rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  Now if we...

Scripture Colossians 3:11 (NLT) In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Refrain In every face I see, Christ is there. Quote Elizabeth Bowen, from The Heat of the Day "To turn from everything to one face is to find oneself face to face with everythin...

Scripture Genesis 28:16-17 (The Message) Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, “God is in this place—truly. And I didn’t even know it!” He was terrified. He whispered in awe, “Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God’s House. This is the Gate of Heaven.” Refrain God is here. I am waking up to it. Quote Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "In God you do not include less and less; you always se...

Scripture Ephesians 3:10–11 (NRSVUE) So that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. Refrain I am part of something larger than myself. Quote Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "When you can honor and r...

Scripture Ephesians 1:9 (NLT) God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ — which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ — everything in heaven and on earth. Refrain God's yes to me is older than time. Quote Augustine, from Retractions "For what is now called the Christian religion...

Scripture Colossians 1:19–20 (NIV) For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Refrain In God I live and move and have my being. Quote Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "I have never been separate from God, nor can I be, except...

Scripture Luke 20:38 (NIV) He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive. Refrain I have nothing left to prove. Quote Brennan Manning, from The Ragamuffin Gospel "God loves you as you are and not as you should be, because none of us are as we should be." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scripture Revelation 21:5–6 (NRSVUE) And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life." Refrain God is making all things new —...

Scripture 2 Peter 1:4 (NRSVUE) Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. Refrain I am a participant in the divine nature. Quote Athanasius "God was consistent in working through one man to reveal himself everywhere,...

Scripture John 8:58 (NRSVUE) Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am." Refrain Before I knew God, God knew me. Quote Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "Christ is the light that allows people to see things in their fullness. The precise and intended effect of such a light is to see Christ everywhere else. In fact, that is my only definition of a true Christian. A...

Scripture Hebrews 12:2 (NRSVUE) Looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Refrain I am accepted, just as I am. Quote Paul Tillich, from The Shaking of the Foundations "Do not try to do anything now; perhaps later you will do much....

Scripture Romans 6:4 (NRSVUE) Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that,  just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,  so we too might walk in newness of life. Refrain I carry resurrection into this day. Quote Wendell Berry, from Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front "Be joyful though you have considered all the facts. Practice res...

Scripture John 20:19–21 (NRSVUE) When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week,  and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear,  Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again,...

Scripture Luke 24:30–31 (NRSVUE) When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. Refrain Open my eyes to what is already here. Quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning, from Aurora Leigh "Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God, but only he who see...

Scripture Luke 24:13–16 (NRSVUE) Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. Refrain Even in disappointment, You are near. Quote Frederic...

Scripture Luke 24:1–6 (NRSVUE) But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body.  While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the gr...

Scripture Philippians 3:13–14 (NRSVUE) Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Refrain I press on toward what is ahead. Quote Frederick Buechner, from Wishful Thinking "The grace of God means something li...

Scripture Philippians 3:10–11 (NRSVUE) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Refrain In my suffering, Christ is with me. Quote Nicholas Wolterstorff, from Lament for a Son "God is not only the God of the sufferers but the God who suffers. The one who suffer...

Scripture Philippians 3:10 (NRSVUE) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Refrain I surrender in order to know You. Quote Brennan Manning, from Abba's Child "Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is ill...

Scripture Philippians 3:8–9 (NRSVUE) I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ. Refrain In losing, I find wh...

Scripture Philippians 3:7–8 (NRSVUE) Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. Refrain I release what I once held as gain. Quote Thomas...