Good Friday, 1613. Riding Westward

I don't have it in me to write out the whole poem today, as it is quite long, but it is a beautifully crafted 17th century poem by John Donne about the crucifixion - the ultimate expression of Love. (I'm sure it can be found on the Internet if the reader is interested.)

My favorite lines are the final three:
"Burn off my rusts, and my deformity,
Restore thine image, so much, by thy grace,
That thou may'st know me, and I'll turn my face."

This makes me think of VanGogh, the author of the quote used on the blackboard scene at BG this week. He suffered so much internal anguish that he cut off his own ear - 'my deformity'. Who knows what motivated him to do that, but it could have been a form of self-loathing, seeing himself covered in the 'rusts' mentioned in this poem, which deformed that part of God's image in which he was created.

But the last few words have a similar impact in their direct simplicity as the last line of yesterday's poem - "I'll turn my face." We have a responsibility to respond to this great Love!