Thursday, September 7, 2000
Commemoration of Douglas Downes, Founder of the Society of Saint Francis, 1957

There are three lessons I would write,

Three words, as with a burning pen,

In tracings of eternal light,

Upon the hearts of men.

 

Have Hope. Though clouds environ now,

And gladness hides her face in scorn,

Put off the shadow from thy brow—

No night but hath its morn.

 

Have Faith. Where’er thy bark is driven—

The calm’s disport, the tempest’s mirth—

Know this: God rules the hosts of heaven,

The inhabitants of earth.

 

Have Love. Not love alone for one,

But man, as man, thy brother call;

And scatter, like a circling sun,

Thy charities on all.

 

Thus grave these lessons on thy soul—

Faith, Hope, and Love—and thou shalt find

Strength when life’s surges rudest roll,

Light when thou else wert blind.

... Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805), included in Masterpieces of Religious Verse, James Dalton Morrison, ed., New York: Harper & Bros., 1948, p. 366 (see the book; see also 1 Cor. 13:13; John 1:4-5; Rom. 8:24-25; Gal. 5:6; Col. 1:27; 1 Thess. 5:8; Heb. 11:1; 1 Pet. 1:21; 1 John 2:10; more at Attitudes, Everlasting, Faith, Gladness, Hope, Light, Love, Strength)

 
Compilation Copyright, 1996-2024, by Robert McAnally Adams,
        Curator, Christian Quotation of the Day,
        with Robert Douglas, principal contributor
Logo image Copyright 1996 by Shay Barsabe, of “Simple GIFs”, by kind permission.
Send comments to curator@cqod.com.

Last updated: 09/06/17

Fun stuff

Tweet this      

     CQOD is now available to include on your personal home page, blog, or church web site—perfect for a sidebar.
     To display CQOD on your web site, updating daily, copy the line below and paste directly into the position that CQOD should appear:

     <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cqod.com/js/"></script>

     To display this particular quotation on your web site, copy the line below and paste directly into the position that CQOD should appear:

     <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cqod.com/js/index-09-07-00.js"></script>

     For more information, see CQOD Web Home

    Previous day’s CQOD (Whitefield)
    Following day’s CQOD (Owen)
    This month’s CQODs

 
    CQOD for today
    CQOD on the go!
 
    Use our double opt-in listserve to receive CQOD by email
 
    CQOD daily index
    All monthly archives
    What’s New on CQOD
    Author index
    Title index
    Poetry index
    Scripture index
    Subject index
    Search CQOD (or see below)
    CQOD Blog
 
     CQOD RSS
 
     Facebook CQOD Fan Page  
     Follow CQOD on Twitter  
     Follow CQOD on Instagram     About CQOD
    CQOD on the Web
    CQOD FAQ
    CQOD Liturgical Calendar
 
    Mere Christianity: a conversation
    Simple Songs for Psalms
    Quotations Bible Study
    Essays Archive
    Bookworms
    Spotlights
 
    Publications:
    Jonah: a miracle play
    Ruth: a play
 
    Also visit these organizations:
    Arab Vision
    Crescendo
    Oratorium
    More devotionals
 
    Search CQOD: