O Deus Ego Amo Te

We now turn to the 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 - so descriptive that it 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.

If you are familiar with the poem of St. Francis Xavier, which
also is an expression of love for God, you might say that Hopkins
poem is similar in tone and spirit. In fact, Hopkins poem is
really a contemporary version and translation of Xavier's
original. When we read the original of St. Francis Xavier's poem,
because of the old English language in which it is presented, it
might be a bit difficult to understand at first reading that the
poet is seeking a personal reason for loving God. HOwever, in
Hopkin's translation, we can easily follow the order of thought
and meaning - until it reached the personal conclusion of
personal commitment to love the Lord as King and God.

In this poem by Hopkins, we can also reflect on our own personal
purpose for loving God. Since Ignatian spirituality (more
specifically St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises) sees
Jesus as King, it is but natural for both Jesuits (Xavier and
Hopkins) to have the image and model of King for Jesus Christ.
But what is our own model for Jesus? Who is He to us? And what
personal purpose do we have in loving Him? Perhaps by going thru
this poem many times over, we will be led to discover an image of
Jesus which would be the personal purpose and reason for loving
Him as God.