蜜芽传媒

Good morning.

Based on an anonymous poem written at least 1000 years ago,

probably the most instantly recognised Irish hymn

is the one versified by Eleanor Hull: 鈥淏e Thou My Vision, O Lord of my heart鈥�.

At the height of recent restrictions on gathering and singing,

and to raise money for various Christian charities

Be Thou my vision was reworked as a music video called 鈥楾he Irish Blessing鈥�.

听

More than 300 Irish singers and instrumentalists contributed

from every county North and South.

It鈥檚 a diverse and atmospheric antidote

to words and melody which for some feel overused.

More importantly, it recovers a welcome sense of being

what original translator Mary Byrne first entitled it: 鈥楢 Prayer鈥�.

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Personally, I鈥檝e always liked

that it requests perception and insight, 鈥淏e thou my wisdom鈥�,

before it requests protection and self-defence, 鈥淏e thou my breastplate鈥�.

But it ends where it starts, with a demand for a vision of Christ.

Too often wasted on small ideas and short-term thinking,

surely the word 鈥榲ision鈥� is about the big-picture,

expansive, elevated imagining with one eye firmly on the future.

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Individualise vision and it risks being diminished and distorted

simply by how we鈥檙e feeling at the time.

Fear, resentment or anger generate one kind of vision;

hope, forgiveness and grace something altogether different.

Better, says the hymn, that our gaze should rest on the God[PB1]听-Man

whose cosmic power and loving care never change.

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Lord grant us an ever clearer picture of who you are,

that touched by your mercy and truth we might see in everyone

that image of God which tells us

the world can always be a better place.

Amen

听[PB1]Lest anyone should wonder who you鈥檙e talking about鈥�.