Lilies of the Covenant (Part I)

The earth dried and withered. Rivers turned into desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground and fruitful land into a valley of salt. The world languished, and the people lay in dust as the land trembled. It was shaken like a hut in the wind and torn open. Great structures crumbled into heaps. The vine was, also, cut down by lightning and was burned in the fire and quaking. There was no more trumpets sounding; the straight trumpet was no more seen in this dry and weary land, where no water was; souls thirsted in anguish. Flesh longed. Voices cried out, “We have seen desperate times’ hard things that astonish us, and we reel as those who drink wine and stagger.” Even the merrymakers groaned for the new wine that had dried up in its bottles; therefore, in dust and ashes, this, they made their lament. “Remember us, O Lord, and what has happened to us. Look upon us and see our disgrace. Remember our devastation and have pity. Show forth your mercy and forgive us, for we have reveled in gluttony and drunkenness and turned everyone to his own way. We, now, see our destruction, that we are slaves to folly, and, again, we turn to you. So turn us, O God of tender mercies. Manifest your loving kindness, which is better than life, and show favor to your land by restoring its fortunes.” “Mend its fractures! Heal its breaches! Give us your aid, for the help of man is worthless. He is vain, but you, our God, alone, make your face to shine on us with salvation. Save us.” “May the waters see you and writhe; may they convulse in fear. May the clouds pour down water from you upper chambers, when you answer us out of the secret place of thunder. Split the rocks so that the waters may gush and flow abundantly as the seas, and out of the rocky crags cause you rain to stream like rivers, yet, remember your faithful promise and give us a banner that we may unfurl and display under the bow, and when the waters have subsided, bring your vine up out of Egypt.”