If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1Co 13:1-3 NIV)

This apostolic praise of love is a fitting and beautiful entrance to Lenten tide. Its fingers point out the big theme of Christ’s passion, suffering and dying: The Love of God towards all mankind. In Jesus Christ this divine love is demonstrated perfectly. His holy life, bearing and doings all bear the marked characteristics  and essentials of Love. It also points out the fruits of the Lenten meditations, because in trusting him and putting our faith in him, who is loves’ archetype, his love sprouts and flourishes in us. That love that drew him from heaven’s throne into the lowly manger and from there ultimately onto the cross and into the grave. May this epistle about Christ’s abiding and boundless love stay with us throughout Lent. May we grasp it more deeply as we go along during these coming weeks and experience anew, that in the suffering and dying of Jesus Christ we have the most magnificent and precious work of Love that obtained the conclusive honor and victory: Our eternal salvation +

O Lord Jesus Christ, our liberator and savior! We are looking for you in your holy suffering and dying. Imprint your love so deeply into our hearts, that neither joy nor sorrow, neither death nor life  can ever erase it. You sacrificed yourself as most holy offering, help us, that we offer you our hearts and that we dedicate all our joys and sorrows to you. Let us follow you faithfully and finally take us into your heavenly kingdom. Amen. (Book of the Church in Baden, 1858)

O Love, who ere life’s earliest dawn On me Thy choice hast gently laid; O Love, who here as man wast born And like to us in all things made, O Love, I give myself to Thee, Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

O Love, who once in time wast slain, Pierced thro’ and thro’ with bitter woe; O Love, who, wrestling thus, didst gain That we eternal joy might know, O Love, I give myself to Thee, Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

O Love, who thus hast bound me fast Beneath that easy yoke of Thine; Love, who hast conquered me at last, Enrapturing this heart of mine, O Love, I give myself to Thee, Thine ever, only Thine, to be. (Johann Scheffler, 1657 and translated by Richard Jordan)

Translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday after the Sunday Estomihi (Last Sunday before Lent) as found on Pg. 110 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and puplished in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.