Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
—John 14:27a
The silence of the canyon is deafening
Shutting out the unwanted sounds we carry with us
Silence broken only by the sound of the raven
Claiming all that she sees as hers
Peace lives within the awe that quiets the noise
Peace awaits within the awe we cannot yet see
Ah, to know a bit of what the raven knows
and claim the gift of peace as our own
Sweet Peace (English folk song)
When long days lay down dying
And Evensong is nigh,
The bell across the valley
Rings out this ancient cry:
“Come, rest from all your labors,
Let Him your burdens bear,
Come hasten 'cross the valley,
And bring Him every care.”
That bell forged by my fathers
Sings out its steady song;
And as it rings I'm making
My joyful way along.
And though I pass through sorrow,
My spirit still soars free;
For in that bell I hear Him—
He speaks sweet peace to me.
Prayer: God, when awe doesn’t stop us in our tracks and take our breath away, help us to be present, to listen, to glimpse what is surely there around us. Speak peace to us so that even while we pass through sorrow, our spirits may soar free. Amen.
Diane Brewer has been a member of Highland for many years and enjoys singing in the choir. She and Lauren Blackwell live with their dogs Koki and Zac in Fern Creek. They love traveling to the mountains and canyons as often as possible.