"If It Be Your Will," by Leonard Cohen

If it be your will
that I speak no more
and my voice be still
as it was before
I will speak no more
I shall abide until
I am spoken for
if it be your will

If it be your will
that a voice be true
from this broken hill
I will sing to you
from this broken hill
all your praises they shall ring
if it be your will
to let me sing

From this broken hill
all your praises they shall ring
if it be your will
to let me sing

If it be your will
if there is a choice
let the rivers fill
let the hills rejoice
let your mercy spill
on all these burning hearts in hell
if it be your will
to make us well

And draw us near
and bind us tight
all your children here
in their rags of light
in our rags of light
all dressed to kill
and end this night
if it be your will

If it be your will.

+ Leonard Cohen

As Holy Week approaches, this lyrical prayer from the legendary poet and songwriter, Leonard Cohen (listen to the song here), is a perfect companion:

Think of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (“yet not my will, but thy will be done”); think of the “broken hill” of Calvary, studded with crosses; think of the traditional story of Jesus’ merciful “descent into hell” on Holy Saturday, so that we all might be made well; and think of the long loneliness of that Saturday night, broken by the “Alleluia” of the Easter Vigil, or the trumpets of Easter morning.