Schiller: three words

Thursday, September 7, 2017
    Commemoration of Douglas Downes, Founder of the Society of Saint Francis, 1957
Meditation:
    And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
    —1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Quotation:
There are three lessons I would write,
    Three words, as with a burning pen,
In tracings of eternal light,
    Upon the hearts of men.

Have Hope. Though clouds environ now,
    And gladness hides her face in scorn,
Put off the shadow from thy brow—
    No night but hath its morn.

Have Faith. Where’er thy bark is driven—
    The calm’s disport, the tempest’s mirth—
Know this: God rules the hosts of heaven,
    The inhabitants of earth.

Have Love. Not love alone for one,
    But man, as man, thy brother call;
And scatter, like a circling sun,
    Thy charities on all.

Thus grave these lessons on thy soul—
    Faith, Hope, and Love—and thou shalt find
Strength when life’s surges rudest roll,
    Light when thou else wert blind.
    ... Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805), included in Masterpieces of Religious Verse, James Dalton Morrison, ed., New York: Harper & Bros., 1948, p. 366 (see the book)
    See also 1 Cor. 13:13; John 1:4-5; Rom. 8:24-25; Gal. 5:6; Col. 1:27; 1 Thess. 5:8; Heb. 11:1; 1 Pet. 1:21; 1 John 2:10
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, grant me a heart like Jesus.

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