Lenten Meditations: March 8

My song is love unknown, my Savior’s love to me,

Love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be.

But who am I

That for my sake

My Lord should take

Frail flesh, and die?

Here might I stay and sing,

no story so divine;

Never was love, dear King,

never was grief like thine.

This is my friend

In whose sweet praise

I all my days

Could gaily spend.

  • My Song Is Love Unknown, a hymn by Samuel Crossman

Reflection

Those are the first and last verses of Crossman’s poem, one that I find so meaningful during the Lenten season.

Lent, was originally a period of fasting preceding Easter; it was also the time of baptism of candidates into the faith on the eve of Easter, they having fasted for 40 days. Eventually this period evolved into a general period of preparation for Easter. The poem speaks of love – something for all of us to share during these 40 days as well as the rest of the year!

Prayer

Let me always feel you present, in every atom of my life.

Let me keep surrendering myself until I am utterly transparent.

Let my words be rooted in honesty and my thoughts be lost in your light, Unnamable God, my essence, my origin, my lifeblood, my home.