Gaudete: Rejoice!

On By dorahakIn Church, Poems
Jyoti Sahi (1944–), Holding the Flame of Fire, 2005. Kolkata, India.

Being found by You, I find everything:
the sky a brighter blue, the leaves a happier hue
of glistening green, the river’s melodious

sounds rising high and low, bandying mountain notes
to valley tunes, and sun-washed strands of ocean
shores joining moon-drawn tides of marshalled harmony.

Being known by You, I know everything:
Love stronger than Death, darkness overcome by Light,
Peace past understanding, Hope unbounded, Joy unspeakable,

Faith that Hell’s gates will assail in prayer, Strength of soul,
Patience through trials, Your Life eternal flowing
through me, Your Blood that washed every stain of sin.

Being loved by You, no other love compares:
not love of man or woman or child; not the charms of all
the world’s delights, not health nor fortune, not lands

nor houses, neither knowledge of every secret
on earth or above it, nor wisdom to confound
and bring to their knees every earthly might and power.

There’s nothing on earth for me if not for You:
there’s nothing in heaven if You be not there:
Mary’s little baby boy would be just another child

if he had not been You come down to earth, taking
on our flesh, suffering on earth the plight that is ours,
to give to us, Your children, by faith the glory that is Yours.

Maranatha.

The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday.

Gaudete, 16th Century Christmas Carol (wikipedia)

23 thoughts on “Gaudete: Rejoice!”

  3. Okay, color me lost, a bit here. Who or what is Marantha? Is this your poem or just one you like? Sorry to be dense.

    In any event, this piece, especially at the end, keys on something essential in my own faith–the fact that Jay isn’t sitting on a cloud someplace, idly watching us human ants down here from some enormous remove. I have been given to know that He understands down to the smallest detail what we go through. Why does He care about little me, among billions, on one planet among zillions? I don’t know except that each of us is an expression of the Divine. Beyond that, it’s grace. Beyond *that* it’s not for me to know, but simply to accept and be everlastingly grateful for. I was given the choice (not from some pulpit, but in personal experience) to accept Divine help or not, and felt the strength and trustworthiness of that help. That’s why I call Him “Jay” because it was personal, one-to-one, not something from a book or a lesson or a clergyman. He’s my friend, for reasons unfathomable. He saved my life, though I don’t call myself “saved” in the Evangelical sense. And so, for me, this piece is powerful indeed.

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  7. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! Come Lord Jesus! What an absolute gift to live on the other side of the Cross and that as we celebrate Jesus’s first advent we wait in hope and joy for His second Advent. What a gift you are to Christ and His people. Praying these advent posts lead people to Christ!!!! Love you so so so much!!!

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    1. Awww, sweetest Mandy! I am so blessed by your love for Christ Jesus who has brought us together to walk as pilgrims together in faith by the Spirit of our most holy God. I’ve been looking over Pilgrim’s Progress again for the umpteenth time, and how Bunyan makes a point of fellowship along the way. So thankful for you my friend!

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  8. Wonderful Christmas psalm of praise and gratitude and hope, Dora. Maranatha is a fitting conclusion to the psalm as we await the birth of the babe at Bethlehem. May this mantra be always on all our lips this season of Advent.

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