'"Make straight the way of the Lord", as the prophet Isaiah said.' (John 1.23, cf. Isaiah 40.30.)
Straight Lines. Silverchair (Ben Gillies, Daniel Johns and Chris Joannou). EMI 2007.
Breathing from a hole in my lung
I had no one
But faces in front of me
Racing through the void in my head
To find traces of a good luck academy
Sparks ignite and trade them for thought
About no one
And nothing in particular
Washed the sickened socket and drove
Resent nothing
There's good will inside of me
Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Waking up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line
Something I will never forget
I felt desperate
And stuck to the marrow
Invisible to everyone else
I'm a sex change
And a damsel with no heroine
Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Waking up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line
I don't need no time to say
No changing yesterday
If we keep talking and
I keep walking in straight lines
Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Waking up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line
In Heaven
Stephen Crane
XVIII
In Heaven,
Some little blades of grass
Stood before God.
"What did you do?"
Then all save one of the little blades
Began eagerly to relate
The merits of their lives.
This one stayed a small way behind
Ashamed.
Presently God said:
"And what did you do?"
The little blade answered: "oh, my lord,
"Memory is bitter to me
"For if I did good deeds
"I know not of them."
Then God in all his splendour
Arose from his throne.
"All, best little blade of grass," He said.
Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, you have stooped to raise fallen humanity by the child-bearing of blessed Mary; grant that we who have seen your glory revealed in our human nature, and your love made perfect in our weakness, may daily be renewed in your image, and conformed to the pattern of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
—David Silk
May the Lord, who has called out of darkness into his marvellous light, bless us and fill us with peace. Amen.
'"Make straight the way of the Lord", as the prophet Isaiah said.' (