In the past, the Monday of Holy Week was referred to as Fig Monday. It alludes to the time when Christ cursed the fig tree that wasn’t producing any fruit. (Matthew 21: 18-22)
The last verse in this passage is an especially powerful one.
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
What an incredible promise that is! How kind and generous is our God to listen to and answer our prayers!
But the cursing of the fig tree isn’t the only event we can learn from that took place on the Monday before the crucifixion. It is also the time when Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple for making the house of prayer into a den of thieves. We, too, can learn to drive out money changers (greed, distractions, etc.) and clean out our holy house of prayer.
The poem for today is about a holy place as well. It’s called “The Secret Place of the Most High” and it was written by William C. Gannett, an American clergyman who lived in the 1800s and early 1900s. I think that if you look closely at this piece, you’ll find that refers not only to a physical place that is holy, but a spiritual place as well.
But I won’t give you any more spoilers. 😉
Let’s look at the poem.
The Secret Place of the Most High
By William C. Gannett
The Lord is in His Holy Place
In all things near and far,
Shekinah of the snowflake, He,
And glory of the star.
And Secret of the April land
That stirs the field to flowers,
Whose little tabernacles rise
To hold Him through the hours.
He hides Himself within the love
Of those that we love best;
The smiles and tones that make our homes
Are shrines by Him possessed.
He tents within the lonely heart
And shepherds every thought.
We find Him not by seeking long,
We lose Him not unsought.
So though we build a Holy Place
To be our Sinai stand,
The Holiest of Holies still
Is never made by hand.
Our Sinai needs the listening ear,
Our Garden needs the vow:
“Thy will be done,”and lo! Thy voice,
Thy vision as we bow!
* * *
Did you find all of the holy places in this poem?
I hope you did, and I hope you join us tomorrow for another classic poem for Holy Week.