July 19

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, That spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in blossom. — Song 2:15

In love, if love be love, if love be ours,
Faith and unfaith can ne’er be equal powers:
Unfaith in aught is want of faith in all.

It is the little rift within the lute
That by and by will make the music mute,
And ever widening slowly silence all.
The little rift within the lover’s lute,
Or little pitted speck in garner’d fruit,
That rotting inward slowly molders all.

It is not worth the keeping: let it go:
But shall it? Answer, darling, answer no.
And trust me not at all or all in all.
— Alfred Tennyson.

Prayer

Loving Father, help me to put away the distractions and cares that make me discontented. Grant that I may not set myself in "gilded pride" and keep out the precious things of life. Help me to abandon doubt and suspicion, and keep the faith that is happy to believe and willing to forgive. Amen.