"Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord"

We continue reflecting on the poems used as alternatives to the
traditional hymns in the Night Prayer section of the breviary. For
this last reflection, we shall reflect on the poem of Gerard
Manley Hopkins, "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord". This is the poem
for Saturday, Night Prayer.

The poem is as follows:

1 Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend
2 With thee; but, sir, so what I plead is just.
3 Why do sinners' way prosper? and why must
4 Disappointment all I endeavour end?
5 Wert thou my enemy, O thou my friend,
6 How wouldst thou worse, I wonder, than thou dost
7 Defeat, thwart me? Oh, the sots and thralls of lust
8 Do in spare hours more thrive than I that spend,
9 Sir, life upon thy cause. See, banks and brakes
10 Now, leaved how thick! laced they are again
11 With fretty chervil, look, and fresh wind shakes
12 Them; birds build - but not I build; not but strain,
13 Time's eunuch, and not breed one work that wakes.
14 Mine, O thou Lord of life, send my roots rain.

This prayer-poem reminds us of the situation of Job, when he was
tested by God. Lines 3 and 4 of the poem, is roughly equated to
Job's predicament of an innocence filled with suffering, while
"sinners' way prosper". However, in the beginning of the poem,
the poet makes an important statement of faith in God's justice
(line 1). He knows this to be true, even if disappointments
(line 4) are the results of his endeavours.

The poet's faith in the Lord's justice is not a naive faith.
Rather, it is a maturing faith that seeks a deeper understanding
of this mystery in human life. The poet questions and questions
(lines 3 to 13) in the midst of the pain he feels - a pain that
comes from his unfruitful efforts (lines 6-9).

This mystery of life that the poet experiences is also what we
ourselves experience in the world (at one stage of life or
another). It is so much a part of human life that even the books
of wisdom in the Old Testament speak about it very much. And the
basic theme these Old Testament passages tells us is: The just
suffer distress; while the wicked obtain prosperity. But the
wisdom books finally consoles the reader by saying that in the
end, and ultimately, the wicked will be led to ruin and
destruction, while the just's ways will be rewarded richly.

The poet in this poem seems to reflect a person who does not give
up in the midst of a seemingly meaningless pain. As the poet
pleads his case before the Lord (through his many questionings),
in the end, he still acknowledges God as the Lord of life, and
also prays that the Lord will "send his roots rain". (line 13 and
14).

We can identify with the poet's experience if we review our life,
and see those parts of our life journey when what we do seems not
to bear any fruit. And we wonder in pain why others prosper,
rather than us, who continually plead and constantly entreat God
for His favor - that we may receive success from the work of our
hands. But as we grow older and mature in spirit, we eventually
realize from the wisdom of our experience, that if we never give
up on our prayers, and entreaties to God, the situation will be
reversed in favor of the just: the wicked ultimately end in ruin,
but the just, after all their struggles and efforts, will be
restored to God's favor and receive His wondrous promise. And
if ever the just do not receive his rich reward in this life, we
know by faith that he will surely receive an even greater reward
in eternity. Faith will help us understand more deeply that the
Lord is really just (in reference to the book of Job).