Your will is law

'The times are nightfall'

The times are nightfall, look, their light grows less;
The times are winter, watch, a world undone:
They waste, they wither worse; they as they run,
Or bring more or more blazon man's distress.
And I not help. Nor word now of success:
All is from wreck, here, there, to rescue one -
Work which to see scarce so much has begun
Makes welcome death, does dear forgetfulness.
Or what is else? There is your world within.
There rid the dragons, root out there the sin.
Your will is law in that small commonweal.

When I read this poem from Gerard Manley Hopkins, I felt like he was giving guidance to those who want to try to make the world a better place but never really get out there to do it. Those people who want to volunteer their time to help others, but always find something holding them back. I've been in that position before, and have come away feeling like I had let someone down.

But here, Hopkins says we can work on the world within - the one within ourselves: 'There rid the dragons, root out there the sin.' And we can do that, because inside ourselves - our internal commonweal - our 'will is law'. At least, that's how it comes across to me.

Willpower, it seems, is related more these days to the avoidance of unhealthy foods than to spiritual and moral discipline. God gave us willpower for a reason, I think, and it has a lot to do with bending, training, and straightening our own will to the will of God.

Comments

[Talmida]

MMmm, you picked a nice one there, Steve!

Funnily enough, the first thing that came to mind from GMH's words,

The times are nightfall, look, their light grows less;
The times are winter, watch, a world undone:
They waste, they wither worse

was that Hey! winter ends, darkness ends, a few more days and the light returns! Maybe that's just a northern thing? I feel very conscious of the solstice and wish it and Christmas were still on the same day. The symbolism is so powerful.

I really enjoy your analysis of the poem. It reminds me that discipline and disciple both come from the word for "learn".

Thanks Steve, I think I'm going to add this to my commonplace prayer book.

[Steve Bogner]

The winter solstice is one of my favorite days - the daylight starts taking back the day.

I guess good poetry speaks different things to different people; maybe our own needs tend to bend the poem's meaning. Willpower... you can see what I've been working on lately ;)

[Marie-Linda]

Beautiful reflection! Willpower is indeed a true power that we have, we don't often realize how strong it can be... I have been pondering lately why God sometimes leaves us in a difficult situation... and I think you just provided an answer; it could be that He is letting us use our willpower to choose His Will, the good He wants for our life.
Thanks for this Steve!