Kind of rhym-mie isn’t it? It is part of the “Come Holy Spirit Sequence” said each year on Pentecost. It sounds wonderful and mysterious in Latin, Veni, Sancte Spiritus.

The rest of this particular sequence is this: “Where you are not, we have naught, nothing good in deed or thought, nothing free from taint of ill…”

That little piece packs so much wisdom!

Where you are not Oh Lord, we are blind and lost. On our own we wonder off the path, into the unknown dangerous darkness. Without your light we stumble and fall and get ourselves into all kinds of trouble. Our pride gets in the way, we refuse to ask for help we remain in our sinfulness, ignorance and shame.

We have naught.  “Apart from God, you are nothing” Jesus says. Apart from Him we are cut off from life-giving water, nourishment, aid. Can a branch that has fallen from the tree continue to grow and produce fruit? Christ doesn’t say without me you just won’t do as good as you could, or get as far as you hoped. He says we can do “nothing.” Is He being harsh, exaggerating, or just trying to scare us? Those Christians can be such downers. Jesus is simply telling it like it is. Reality right between the eyes. Not sugar-coated, rolled in chocolate and sprinkles and dressed up pretty to fool us. Nope! Just the whole truth, nothing but the truth and wrapped up in love. The truth sets us free. We recognize the truth. We yearn for the truth to be told. I think we are getting tired of deceit and games.

Lord I need you, oh I need you…every hour I need you.

Nothing good in deed or thought. Only God is good. No God, no good. Think empty wasteland. Zero life, dry, parched producing nothing of worth or value. If we do not have God’s goodness in us we cannot produce good. We lack a key ingredient. No substance that makes the deed worth doing or the thought worth thinking.

Nothing free from taint of ill. Defective, stained from its very origin. Tainted, blemished, without purity of intention or effectiveness. Ruined from the beginning. Sure we can cover the stain,pretend its not there, but it won’t withstand the process and will come out twisted, perverted. Doomed from the start if you will.

It doesn’t end there on this hopeless note.

“…Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour your dew; Wash the stains of guilt away: Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray. On the faithful, who adore, and confess you evermore. In your sevenfold gift descend; Give them virtues sure reward; Give them your salvation, Lord; Give them joys that never end. Amen”

Yes, give us joys that never end.

Lord I need you, oh I need you…every hour I need you.

Never forget us, never give up on our stubborn wills. Never ever Lord, we need you!