The Irish In Me

"Progress should mean that we are always changing the world to fit the
vision, instead we are always changing the vision."--GK Chesterton


My wife is wrong about one thing. She thinks St. Patrick's Day is my
favorite holiday. Actually, that honor is reserved for the last
Saturday in February when Holland Hall prep school (here in Tulsa) has
its annual book fair. Doors open at 8--I'm there at 6. Sorting through
table after table stacked with used books is certainly a great day for
me. Going home with a box of books for less than 20 bucks, looking
through them, figuring out which ones I just bought that I already had
(this year, only one!), then putting them in the order I hope to read
them--truly a great day.

But I am proud of my Irish heritage. And I do appreciate Kathy making
corned beef, cabbage and mashed potatoes for me, even if the Irish had
never heard of corned beef until they immigrated to the U.S. Oh, and I
really like the shamrock cookies she makes each year. So on the whole,
St. Patrick's Day is good for me.

It just so happens that my favorite hymn has its roots in an 8th
century Irish poem. "Be Thou My Vision" was translated into English by
Mary Byrne in 1905, and made into the hymn as we know it in 1912. My
favorite version is by Van Morrison from his Hymns to the Silence
album. But this morning on my drive to Oklahoma City (in torrential
rain) I listened to the version by Phil Keaggy, with its war-chant-
like drums. (This would be a great song for Triibe, Gyle and Mark.)
The next-to-last verse really speaks to me:

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

I sing this with great gusto (and off key), often with tears streaming
down my cheeks. But do I really mean it? Do I really live it? Can I
truly say that I don't heed the call of riches? How much do I really
like the praise of men? If it is to be, it will only be when the
first two verses are ingrained in me.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

As I progress in my walk with the Lord, am I changing my world to fit
His vision, or am I trying to bend His vision to fit my ever-changing
world? For me, this is a daily struggle. Some days I win, others I
lose. Oh God, be thou my vision every day! May the last verse be my
soon cry:

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.