How Do I Love Thee? 

June 19 2012
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 

By Beth DeCristofaro

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.  (Matthew 5:44-45)

Piety

    How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if (You, God,) choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

  (#43, “Sonnets from the Portuguese”, Elizabeth Barrett Browning; modification by BD)How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Study

“How do I love thee, let me count the ways.”  Elizabeth wrote this beautiful sonnet for her beloved husband.  It seems a fitting poem/prayer today which we can say to God in thanks for God’s many gifts, not the least of which is love.

How many ways God finds to love us!  In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches his disciples how to live Godlike lives.  We can echo in mere human fashion the love God has for creation and specifically humankind.  Jesus tells them that God loves everyone.  Just as humans cannot order the sun to shine only on those approved of, or rain to water only the crops of those who are deserving, Jesus says we are not to withhold love and mercy.  God’s gifts freely bestowed are ours not to horde but to bestow in turn.

Action

Read the poem, or listen to it read to you at www.poetryfoundation.org and hear it as a prayer.  Delight in the beautiful language and relish God’s love for you in a new way.  How can you “recite” this poem to someone else through your thoughts, words or deeds today?