winter transfiguration

thursday morning daily office reading for the thursday in sextugesima week:

"and after six days jesus taketh with him peter, and james, and john, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
"and his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them." (mark 9:2-3)

i looked out the window and the whole world was white as snow. ah, how boldly isaiah writes of the holy one:

"holy, holy, holy, is the lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." (isaiah 6:3)

and i am reminded the the new creation is about the whole universe. so i was delighted to sing the second section of the benedicte omnia opera:

"II The Cosmic Order

O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord; *
O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord;
O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; *
praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord; *
O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord;
O ye showers and dew, bless ye the Lord; *
praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord; *
O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord;
O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord; *
praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye dews and frosts, bless ye the Lord; *
O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord;
O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord; *
praise him and magnify him for ever.

O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord; *
O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord;
O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord; *
praise him and magnify him for ever."

what a wonderful gift is the snow!