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9
II.
So Mary in the Temple takes her place
With joy to serve the holy God; apart
From evil; and the rapture in her heart
Is greater than the rapture in her face.
With joy to serve the holy God; apart
From evil; and the rapture in her heart
Is greater than the rapture in her face.
She scrubs and dusts; she sweeps the marble floor.
She makes the linen things as white as snow;
Not whiter than her pure heart, all aglow
With love for God, even to its very core.
She makes the linen things as white as snow;
Not whiter than her pure heart, all aglow
With love for God, even to its very core.
Before the sunrise, she is still the light
Of all the holy place. Before the hour
Of sacrifice her prayers ascend with power
Before God's throne, like incense in his sight.
Of all the holy place. Before the hour
Of sacrifice her prayers ascend with power
Before God's throne, like incense in his sight.
And when her work is done she gives her soul
Again to spoken prayers. And through the deep
Night-watches, whether waking or asleep.
She is still God's, immaculate and whole.
Again to spoken prayers. And through the deep
Night-watches, whether waking or asleep.
She is still God's, immaculate and whole.
10
Until, for reasons which we cannot tell,
The time has come when she must be espoused
To Joseph. This new call of God aroused
Her tranquil mind to do His holy will.
The time has come when she must be espoused
To Joseph. This new call of God aroused
Her tranquil mind to do His holy will.
God calls and she obeys; still calm and meek,
She lays her white hand in Saint Joseph's hands,
She plights her troth to God, who understands
Her vow, accepting it; why should she seek
She lays her white hand in Saint Joseph's hands,
She plights her troth to God, who understands
Her vow, accepting it; why should she seek
To know what God has not as yet revealed?
God's Lily; God's sweet Rose; His House of gold;
His tower of ivory long ago foretold;
The Garden of the Lord; the Fountain sealed.
God's Lily; God's sweet Rose; His House of gold;
His tower of ivory long ago foretold;
The Garden of the Lord; the Fountain sealed.
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