Lammas

All things were created by God and all things exist through God and for God. To God be the glory for ever!  Romans 11: 36

The season of Lammas begins on August 1. In the Celtic year this marks the first of several harvests. By Samhain, November l, all the the fruits and berries too had to be gathered in.

Giraldus Cambrensis, Archdeacon of Brecon, described how the people of a locality would come together at harvest to do a circle dance around the churchyard. With mime and movements they re-enacted the occupations connected with the fields – the spinning, weaving, ploughing and reaping. They knew that all life is inter-connected, and that all life depends upon God.

Few readers will engage in harvesting in the way the following poem depicts from 19th. century western Scotland. Yet as we read these words, God may speak to us of the encompassing of the manifold activities of our daily lives – our shops, our office, home and locality; and the encompassing of the people who make up the chain that brings food to our door.

God bless Thou Thyself my reaping
Each ridge, each plain, each field
Each sickle curved, shapely, hard,
Each ear and handful in the sheaf.

Bless each maiden and youth
Each woman and tender youngling
Safeguard them beneath Thy shield of strength
And guard them in the house of the saints
Guard them in the house of the saints.

Encompass each goat, sheep and lamb
Each cow and horse and store
Surround Thou the flocks and herds
And tend them to a kindly fold
Tend them to a kindly fold.
Carmina Gadelica