Lent 2010
Lord Jesus, think on me, and purge away my sin;
From selfish passions set me free and make me pure within.
Lord Jesus, think on me, by anxious thoughts oppressed;
Let me your loving servant be and taste your promised rest.
Lord Jesus, think on me, nor let me go astray;
Through darkness and perplexity point out your chosen way.
Lord Jesus, think on me, that, when the flood is past,
I may the eternal brightness see, and share your joy at last.
Written by Synesius of Cyrene (c. 375 – 430 C.E.)
This prayer hymn, written around the year 410, sets the attitude for our Lenten season. Synesius was a philosopher and a bishop who was descended from the royal family of Sparta, Greece. He studied in Alexandria, Egypt, was an ambassador to the court of the Emperor in Constantinople, and, in 410, was elected Bishop of Ptolemais in the Libyan Pentapolis.
He was elected Bishop even though he was married and not an ordained priest. He only accepted the position after much struggle. He loved the worldly amusements of hunting and breeding dogs, as well as the good life of a wealthy philosopher, writer, and teacher. The hymn reflects his struggles with worldly pleasures, philosophy, and the need to focus on his calling in Christ as a Christian and then Bishop.
The sentiments of these words apply to our lives just as easily as they did to a man in the year 410. Our prayer is the same: Lord Jesus, think on me.
Pastor Mayer