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One of the benefits of social media is that sometimes a little gem is rediscovered and shared for us all to see once more. And this is just the case with a reading King Charles made to celebrate Easter three years ago, when he was still Prince of Wales.
What is particularly interesting is that the then future head of the Church of England opted to recite a poem from the Jesuit priest and poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. And what a poem it is!
In only two stanzas, “God’s Grandeur” captures the beauty in God’s Creation, telling us that hope exists even in the dark: “There lives the dearest freshness deep down things.” This is something particularly important to take on board at this time of year, especially for those who find it difficult to cope with darker nights and rainy days.
From poet to Jesuit
What is also fascinating is the life of Hopkins himself: The Oxford student was born into an Anglican family and was drawn to Catholicism during his studies. His fervor for the faith saw him declare in his journal entry on November 6, 1865: “On this day by God’s grace I resolved to give up all beauty until I had His leave for it.”
A few months later Hopkins actually decided to give up poetry for Lent, before finally converting to Catholicism under the guidance of St. John Henry Newman in October 1866. A couple of years later he burned much of his poetry and decided to become a Jesuit.
However, after abandoning poetry for nearly seven years, he put pen to paper once more when one of his Jesuit superiors asked him to write a poem. From there more poems flowed, and despite dying at 44, his works extolling the beauty in God’s creation made him a literary giant of his time and remain relevant today.
We think this particular poem is particularly fitting as autumn arrives, as it reminds us that God is always at work even when we remain stubbornly blind to his presence. Watch the King’s moving recitation below.
And today we celebrate...