We sing ‘Abide with me’
Each Cup Final Day
And everybody sings it
The words demand their say
For Francis Lyte their writer
When death was drawing near
Wrote the words for us to sing
Words so very dear
The Lord does tell us constantly
Do not be afraid
But afraid is what we are
We’ll never make the grade
But all our fears are gathered
In the Cross of Christ
Fear of death and misery
Humiliation’s price
So look upon the cross
And know the price is paid
For every human loss
For every fault we made
And know the cross will save you
Keep it before your eyes
Heaven’s morning breaks
And points you to the skies
Brian Fahy
18 April 2022
+ Bishop Robert Barron preaches a sermon this Good Friday about how all human fears can be seen in the cross of Jesus – fear of death, of pain, of humiliation in life, of utter contempt – all our fears are found there. When we face our fears they lose their power over us. Look then on the cross of Christ and your fears will no longer work their power over you.
Pope Francis says a similar thing today in his Message at midday at the ‘Regina Coeli’. The Lord calls us out of the grave of fear that always threatens to entomb us.
+ Finally the story of Henry Francis Lyte, an Anglican priest, who wrote ‘Abide with Me’, gives us powerful and heartfelt words with which to pray every day, and to be free of whatever causes us fear.
‘Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes,
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies,
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee,
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.’
Erris Poetry 