Love and Dancing

"Made one with Thee by love, and purely and sincerely taking delight in Thee, the company of Thy Saints doth dance the perpetual dance with the Angels in joy round about Thee, O Seer of all things, God and Lord of all."*

Love and dancing go together--especially in the Kingdom of Heaven.  All of the talk of death and martyrdom that surrounds the feast of All Saints (and has made up a good deal of my blogging lately) can easily take our minds off the dance, and the delight, and the love.

  

A Prayer:

Grant, O Lord, that we might keep our minds in our hearts where all of heaven is found, and where the dancing angels call us out of the shadowy corners where we timid wallflowers hide.  Teach us to delight in your love and leave behind self consciousness, no longer looking at our selves, but looking steadfastly at You, 'O Seer of all.'  Because You see all things, we can let down our guard, we can be Your children, purely and sincerely delighting in You--and dance with the angels.  

 *The Canon of All Saints for Matins, Ode 4, "Of All Saints," v.1.  The Pentecostarion published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery.