One
of our favorite hymns is “Be Thou My Vision.”
The
words to the song were actually written as a prayer in the sixth century by
Dallan Forgaill an Irish Monk and poet. It was translated into English and put
to music in the early twentieth century. The message of the hymn is clear; by
keeping Christ in sight and by focusing our attention on him, we become more
like him. As a part of the Phoenix Christian community, we all strive to keep
Christ in focus and share this vision with our students and so that this can be
their prayer as well.
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, and I thy true son,
Thou
in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
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.
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.
1 John 3:2-3 Dear
friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made
known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is
pure.