William Blake
In some things we must admit that Blake was a good deal ahead of his time. His strange mysticism has always given me pause, but the occasionally transcendent verse has always thrilled me. Thus with this wonderful little piece.
The Divine Image William Blake To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love All pray in their distress; And to these virtues of delight Return their thankfulness.For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is God, our father dear,
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is Man, his child and care.For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.And all must love the human form,
In heathen, Turk, or Jew;
Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.
Too bad even some Christians cannot remember this. Gandhi was once, perhaps apocryphally, quoted as saying, "Christianity is a fine religion, too bad so few practice it." Are we vehicles of God's Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love? If someone were in serious trouble could they come to us without hesitation? Or, do we sit in judgment on everything that comes to us? Are we inviting and welcoming people, or are we people who alienate those who would rely upon us? Too often, without even knowing it, people can see themselves condemned in our eyes. They see themselves as guilty and us as the jury that found the guilt. I know that chief on my list of "things to do" is let God look out through my eyes, so that what people see when they see me is the welcome that Jesus gave tax collectors and others who did not live up to society's expectations. Always my prayer is , "May God use me today to bring someone the love of Jesus."
