Words of Light and Hope from Jane McLarty LLM
Words of Light and Hope Sunday 2 nd June 2024
I write this while the rain relentlessly pours down… the Bible, with its origins in a land more
likely to suffer drought than flood, generally sees rain as good and life-bringing; it comes
from God: He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow
on the hills (Psalm 147:8). As a welcome gift from God, it can be used as a metaphor for
other good things: Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down
righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause
righteousness to sprout up also (Isaiah 45:8). But there can be too much of a good thing; the
Bible knows of floods, which are also used to characterise overwhelming periods in our own
life. Then God promises, not that they will never happen to us, but that God will stand with
us when they do: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the
rivers, they shall not overwhelm you (Isaiah 43:2).
This poem by a Native American poet, Joy Harjo, invites us to consider all the aspects of the
God-created world we live in as praiseworthy – some more obvious than others.
Praise the Rain by Joy Harjo
Praise the rain, the seagull dive
The curl of plant, the raven talk—
Praise the hurt, the house slack
The stand of trees, the dignity—
Praise the dark, the moon cradle
The sky fall, the bear sleep—
Praise the mist, the warrior name
The earth eclipse, the fired leap—
Praise the backwards, upward sky
The baby cry, the spirit food—
Praise canoe, the fish rush
The hole for frog, the upside-down—
Praise the day, the cloud cup
The mind flat, forget it all—
Praise crazy. Praise sad.
Praise the path on which we’re led.
Praise the roads on earth and water.
Praise the eater and the eaten.
Praise beginnings; praise the end.
Praise the song and praise the singer.
Praise the rain; it brings more rain.
Praise the rain; it brings more rain.
likely to suffer drought than flood, generally sees rain as good and life-bringing; it comes
from God: He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow
on the hills (Psalm 147:8). As a welcome gift from God, it can be used as a metaphor for
other good things: Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down
righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause
righteousness to sprout up also (Isaiah 45:8). But there can be too much of a good thing; the
Bible knows of floods, which are also used to characterise overwhelming periods in our own
life. Then God promises, not that they will never happen to us, but that God will stand with
us when they do: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the
rivers, they shall not overwhelm you (Isaiah 43:2).
This poem by a Native American poet, Joy Harjo, invites us to consider all the aspects of the
God-created world we live in as praiseworthy – some more obvious than others.
Praise the Rain by Joy Harjo
Praise the rain, the seagull dive
The curl of plant, the raven talk—
Praise the hurt, the house slack
The stand of trees, the dignity—
Praise the dark, the moon cradle
The sky fall, the bear sleep—
Praise the mist, the warrior name
The earth eclipse, the fired leap—
Praise the backwards, upward sky
The baby cry, the spirit food—
Praise canoe, the fish rush
The hole for frog, the upside-down—
Praise the day, the cloud cup
The mind flat, forget it all—
Praise crazy. Praise sad.
Praise the path on which we’re led.
Praise the roads on earth and water.
Praise the eater and the eaten.
Praise beginnings; praise the end.
Praise the song and praise the singer.
Praise the rain; it brings more rain.
Praise the rain; it brings more rain.
