The Voice of the Sea-Shell
I have seen
A curious child, who dwelt upon a tract
Of inland ground, applying to his ear
The convolutions of a smooth-lipped shell;
To which, in silence hushed, his very soul
Listened intensely; and his countenance soon
Brightened with joy: for from within were heard
Murmurings, whereby the monitor expressed
Mysterious union with his native sea.
Even such a shell the universe itself
Is to the ear of faith; and there are times,
I doubt not, when to you it doth impart
Authentic tidings of invisible things;
Of ebb and flow, and ever-during power,
And central peace, subsisting at the heart
Of endless agitation.
—W. S. Landor.
The Heart of the Eternal
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice
Which is more than liberty.
For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of man’s mind,
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.
—F. W. Faber.
The highest perfection of human reason is to know that there is an infinity beyond its reason.
—Blaise Pascal.
Alternate Reading: Luke 4:14-30.