“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs,
and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” – Song of Songs 2:11-14 (KJV)
Known as the Song of Songs, or the Canticles of Wisdom,
or as the Songs of Solomon –
we come to a book of the Bible that has no interest in Law,
no interest in History, no interest in Covenant,
no interest in peaching or prophecy
It’s all about Love.
It’s spring. The trees are budding, the sun is warming,
earth is greening and new life rising,
birds are chirping, bees are buzzing,
the gazelles are skipping in the fields.
Spring, with its sweet moments, is a metaphor for romance.
Let this be the book that celebrates desire.
Let this be the book that honours sensuality.
Let this be the book that praises yearning and sexual longing.
Let this be the book of romantic sweet moments.
Let the voice of the two who love
enrich our imagination
for all who love one another.
These are words honouring the spirituality of the body
and a celebration of human love-making.
Go outside or look closely at the signs of the season around you. Take a photograph, gather a leaf or blossom, or sketch something that speaks ofnew life, beauty, or desire awakening— birds, budding branches, sunlight, fragrance in the air. Then writetwo or three lines of your own love song inspired by what you notice. Let it be a small celebration of love in the living world.
A Call to Come Away: “Arise, my love… and come away.” Remembering that Love is expressed in many ways: love of self, love of partners, love of friends, love of pets, love of nature: What invitation to joy, intimacy, or aliveness might you be noticing or hearing in this season?
The tui continues singing, unbothered by my presence or the noises around.
The green fern ‘umbrellas’ sprawl open, unashamed to display their beauty.
The produce of the garden so prolific:
sweet red tomotoes, green-grey pumpkin,
dark purple beets, humble red potatoes
as well as tangy-sweet guavas waiting to be plucked off the tree by mouth
and the well-disguised feijoas bearing sweet, creamy fruit inside solid green coats.
And there’s more – there’s always more!
Like the bees dancing from lavender to lavender, the hungry monarch caterpillar, fungus, tardigrades, worms, warm sun, life-giving rain, envigorating breezes, exquisite sunsets …
Oh God, Your delicious, arty, varied creation fills us with delight and goodness. Thank you, lover of me/us. Sweet moments indeed.
Such a visual prayer! Amen.