A Hymn to God the Father

We continue reflecting on the poems used as an alternative to the
hymns in the Night Prayer section of the breviary. The poem that
we will reflect upon is the poem for Monday's Night Prayer - A
Hymn to God the Father by John Donne

The poem is as follows:

Wilt Thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt Thou forgive that sin through which I run,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For I have more.

Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I have won
Others to sin? and made my sin their door?
Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I did shun
A year or two, but wallowed in a score?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For I have more.

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
But swear by Thy self, that at my death Thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now and heretofore;
And, having done that, Thou hast done,
I fear no more.

Night Prayer always reminds us of the sins we may have committed
during the day. It could be a sin committed by word or by an
action. And if we search also through the thoughts and feelings
that have ran through our mind and heart throughout the day, we
will be surprised how many times we have thought ill of ourselves
and others, and how many times we have allowed feelings of anger,
destructiveness, and selfishness dominate our heart and destroy
the peace we have in Christ.

This poem for Monday's Night Prayer makes us aware of sin in its
many dimensions. The first stanza of the poem speaks of both
original sin and personal sin. And it makes us realize how
sinful we really are, for even when God forgives, it seems that
"[He] hast not done", "for I have more" (our sins overtake His
mercy and forgiveness).

The second stanza of the poem helps us to realize that our sins
can also lead others to sin. And also, the sin that we have
avoided for a long time, can suddenly become a sin we have
committed many times over. We know that God forgives, but it
feels that "[He] hast not done" because it feels as if our sins
multiply in a way that overtakes the forgiveness and mercy of
God.

The third stanza of the poem teaches us not to fear dying in sin,
but to have access to Jesus' mercy and forgiveness. With faith
and trust in Christ's forgiveness and mercy - a Divine Mercy -
Christ will brightly shine with His great mercy so that the Light
of His forgiveness will finally conquer the darkness of all our
sins. And we need not fear losing the salvation of our souls if
we continuously and fully repent of our sinfulness.