Christian Classics
‹ The Christian Year
Contents
AdvertisementMorningEveningAdvent SundaySecond Sunday in Advent — The Signs of the TimesThird Sunday in Advent — The TravellersFourth Sunday in Advent — DimnessChristmas DaySt. Stephen’s DaySt. John’s DayThe Holy InnocentsFirst Sunday after Christmas — The Sun-dial of AhazThe CircumcisionSecond Sunday after Christmas — The Pilgrim's SongThe EpiphanyFirst Sunday after Epiphany — The NightingaleSecond Sunday after Epiphany — The Secret of PerpetualYouthThird Sunday after Epiphany — The Good CenturionFourth Sunday after Epiphany — The World is for Excitement, the Gospel for SoothingFifth Sunday after Epiphany — Cure Sin and you cure SorrowSixth Sunday after Epiphany — The Benefits of UncertaintySeptuagesima SundaySexagesima SundayQuinquagesima SundayAsh WednesdayFirst Sunday in Lent — The City of RefugeSecond Sunday in Lent — Esau's ForfeitThird Sunday in Lent — The Spoils of SatanFourth Sunday in Lent — The Rose-budFifth Sunday in Lent — The Burning BushSunday next before Easter — The Children in the TempleMonday before Easter — Christ waiting for the CrossTuesday before Easter — Christ refusing the wine and myrhhWednesday before Easter – Christ in the GardenThursday before Easter — The Vision of the Latter DaysGood FridayEaster EveEaster DayMonday in Easter Week — St. Peter and CorneliusTuesday in Easter Week — The Snow-dropFirst Sunday after Easter — The restless Pastor reprovedSecond Sunday after Easter — BalaamThird Sunday after Easter — Langour and TravailFourth Sunday after Easter — The Dove on the CrossFifth Sunday after Easter — The Priest’s IntercessorAscension DaySunday after Ascension Day — Seed timeWhitsundayMonday in Whitsun-week — The City of ConfusionTuesday in Whitsun-week — Holy OrdersTrinity SundayFirst Sunday after Trinity — Israel among the ruins of CanaanSecond Sunday after Trinity — Charity the Life of FaithThird Sunday after Trinity — Comfort for Sinners in the Presence of the GoodFourth Sunday after Trinity — The Groans of NatureFifth Sunday after Trinity — The Fishermen of BethsaidaSixth Sunday after Trinity — The Psalmist repentingSeventh Sunday after Trinity — The Feast in the WildernessEighth Sunday after Trinity — The Disobedient ProphetNinth Sunday after Trinity — Elijah in HorebTenth Sunday after Trinity — Christ weeping over JerusalemEleventh Sunday after Trinity — Gehazi reprovedTwelfth Sunday after Trinity — The Deaf and DumbThirteenth Sunday after Trinity — Moses on the MountFourteenth Sunday after Trinity — The Ten LepersFifteenth Sunday after Trinity — The Flowers of the FieldSixteenth Sunday after Trinity — Hope is better than EaseSeventeenth Sunday after Trinity — Ezekiel’s Vision in the TempleEighteenth Sunday after Trinity — The Church in the WildernessNineteenth Sunday after Trinity — Shadrach, Meshach, and AbednegoTwentieth Sunday after Trinity — Mountain SceneryTwenty-first Sunday after Trinity — The Red-breast in SeptemberTwenty-second Sunday after Trinity — The Rule of Christian forgivenessTwenty-third Sunday after Trinity — Forest Leaves in AutumnTwenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity — Imperfection of Human SympathyTwenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity — The two RainbowsSunday next before Advent — Self-examination before AdventSt. Andrew’s DaySt. Thomas the ApostleConversion of St. PaulPurification of St. Mary the VirginSt. Matthias’ DayAnnunciation of the Blessed Virgin MarySt. Mark’s DaySt. Philip and St. James’ DaySt. Barnabas the ApostleSt. John Baptist’s DaySt. Peter’s DaySt. James the ApostleSt. Bartholomew the ApostleSt. Matthew the ApostleSt. Michael and all AngelsSt. Luke the EvangelistSt. Simon and St. Jude, ApostlesAll Saints’ DayHoly CommunionHoly BaptismCatechismConfirmationMatrimonyVisitation and Communion of the SickBurial of the DeadChurching of WomenComminationForms of Prayer to Be Used at SeaGunpowder TreasonKing Charles the MartyrThe Restoration of the Royal FamilyThe AccessionOrdination

John Keble · 25 of 110

Ash Wednesday

When thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret. St. Matthew vi. 17, 18.

“Yes — deep within and deeper yet The rankling shaft of conscience hide, Quick let the swelling eye forget The tears that in the heart . Calm be the voice, the aspect bold, No shuddering pass o’er lip or brow, For why should Innocence be told The pangs that guilty spirits bow?

“The loving eye that watches thine Close as the air that wraps thee round — Why in thy sorrow should it pine, Since never of thy sin it found? And should the see What chains of darkness thee enslave, And mocking say, ‘Lo, this is he Who own’d a God that could not save’?”

Thus oft the mourner’s wayward heart Tempts him to hide his grief and die, Too feeble for Confession’s smart, Too proud to bear a pitying eye; How sweet, in that dark hour, to fall On bosoms waiting to receive Our sighs, and gently whisper all! They love us — will not God forgive?

Else let us keep our fast within, Till Heaven and we are quite alone, Then let the grief, the shame, the sin, Before the be thrown. Between the porch and altar weep, Unworthy of the holiest place, Yet hoping near the shrine to keep One lowly cell in sight of .

Nor fear lest sympathy should fail — Hast thou not seen, in night hours drear, When racking thoughts the heart assail, The glimmering stars by turns appear, And from the eternal house above With silent news of mercy steal? So Angels pause on tasks of love, To look where sorrowing sinners kneel.

Or if no Angel pass that way, He who in secret sees, perchance May bid His own heart-warming ray Toward thee stream with kindlier glance, As when upon His drooping head His Father’s light was pour’d from Heaven, What time, unshelter’d and unfed, Far in the wild His steps were driven.

High thoughts were with Him in that hour, Untold, unspeakable on earth — And who can stay the soaring power Of spirits wean’d from mirth, While far beyond the sound of praise With upward eye they float serene, And learn to bear their Saviour’s blaze When Judgment shall undraw the screen?