O Deus Ego Amo Te

There is a poem used as an alternative to the hymn of Thursday, Night Prayer. The poem is composed by Gerard Manley Hopkins, a Jesuit known for his highly descriptive and picturesque style. His style presents a complexity of beautiful imagery.

In this poem, O Deus Ego Amo Te, Hopkins plainly expresses his love for God, and shares how he sees God's love for him through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

The poem is presented in just one long stanza, and ends with an
Amen:


O God, I love Thee, I love Thee -
Not out of hope of heaven for me
Nor fearing not to love and be
In the everlasting burning.
Thou, Thou, my Jesus, after me
Didst reach thine arms out dying
For my sake sufferedst nails and lance,
Mocked and marred countenance,
Sorrows passing number,
Sweat and care and cumber,
Yea and death, and this for me,
And Thou couldst see me sinning:
Then I, why should not I love Thee,
Jesu, so much in love with me?
Not for heaven's sake; not to be
Out of hell by loving Thee;
Not for any gains I see;
But just the way that Thou didst me
I do love and I will love Thee;
What must I love Thee, Lord, for then?
For being my King and God. Amen.

The poem of St. Francis Xavier, which also is an expression of love for God, is similar in tone and spirit to Hopkin's poem. In fact, Hopkins poem is really a contemporary version and translation of Xavier's original. Reading the original of St. Francis Xavier's poem, because of the old English language in which it is presented, it is difficult to understand at first reading that the poet is seeking a personal reason for loving God. However, in Hopkin's translation, one can easily follow the order of thought and meaning - until it reached the conclusion of commitment to love the Lord as King and God.

Memorial of Saints (January 16)

2nd Sunday of the Year (B)

(Edited) Reflections: (From) 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), January 15, 2012

Liturgical readings

1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19
Psalm 40
1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20
John 1:35-42

"Look! There is the Lamb of God!"

For many years, the Jewish people were awaiting the coming of their Messiah. One of their prophets, Isaiah, foretold that this Messiah, this Christ, will herald good news, bring glad tidings, and restore His people Israel. But what the Jews did not expect, was that this Messiah will save not only His people, but the whole of humanity - through the Gentile peoples evangelized by Paul. The Jews were God's chosen people, but God in His mercy, extended His favor to anyone who would believe and accept His Son, Jesus. And the beginning of that merciful will is presented in the gospel: John points out to Jesus as the Lamb of God to his two disciples, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!".

For those two disciples who began to follow Jesus, many more came to see for themselves who the Messiah is. They addressed Him as Rabbi, which means Teacher. Andrew referred to Him as the Messiah (which means Anointed) when he came to his brother Simon Peter. Gradually, Jesus came to be known to the people; and by various titles - Lamb of God, Rabbi, Messiah. As He brought hope to His people two millenia before, He now brings that same hope to us through the Church's proclamation of the Word and the celebration of the Sacraments.

What seems to be an important element in discovering one's hope in Jesus is an attitude of listening. If the two disciples did not listen to John and continued with what they were doing, they would not have known the truth about Jesus as the Lamb of God. Andrew also listened, and ran to his brother Peter, saying: "We have found the Messiah!" That joy in the disciples' discovery of Jesus as the Messiah becomes one's joy too when you listen well to the Word. Listening can begin externally with hearing the Word in the Mass. But this listening can have more depth when you let that Word of hope sink well into the ground of your heart.