In God Makes the Rivers to Flow; An Anthology of the World’s Sacred Poetry & Prose, Eknath Easwaran includes a selection from Cardinal Newman entitled “Shine through Us.”  I’ve written the following poem-like reflections inspired by this selection.

Shine through Me

Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance

            everywhere we go.

Flood our souls with your spirit and life.

Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly

            that our lives may only be a radiance of yours.

Shine through us, and be so in us,

            that every soul we come in contact with

            may feel your presence in our soul.

—Cardinal Newman

May I be so filled with your love

that I overflow and love others

as you love me. May my devotion

to you be like a ship’s devotion to the sea.

Take over my mind with yours, O Lord.

Let my consciousness be your consciousness.

May I see others with your eyes.

May I hear others with your ears.

May I be present with others in your presence.

I want to know what it’s like to love so completely

I would sacrifice myself to show my love.

I want to know what it’s like to love so completely,

I would die to save others from suffering.

I want to know what it’s like to love so purely,

I see no faults in others.

I want to know what it’s like to serve others

with no thought of return.

I want to know what it’s like to give of myself

without limits and know no end to the depths of my giving.

I want others to see the Divine in me,

not to serve my ego, but so I can be a light

guiding them on their path.

I want your light to be my light,

so I am consumed by it and there is nothing other than your light.

Take over my body.

Take over my soul.

Take my whole self and make it yours.

Own me completely.

Choose my words for me, speak through my mouth.

Guide my every step.

I want to know what it’s like to live so completely for you,

that I disappear, and you are all the world sees.