During the past five years of occasional revisions of my song “Through my Savior,” the third verse I left alone. I felt that I could not improve it. The meaning of the first line, however, needs explaining. Here’s the verse:
Now in the morning of shadow waning,
Like when the light of morning filled a tomb,
Grant us forgiveness: both giving, gaining;
Fill us with light: Dispel avenging gloom.
Once in a garden, the blood was dropping;
Once on a cross, the voice of mercy said,
“Oh, my Father, forgive my brother;
I forgive him with the blood I shed.”
When is the “morning of shadow waning?” The dispelling of this particular shadow refers to attaining forgiveness, both forgiving and receiving forgiveness, so the particular “morning” is unique to each of us. In fact many of us may be enlightened by many such mornings in our lifetimes, moments when we forgive another person or when someone forgives himself or herself, or moments when we accept forgiveness from another person.
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The Second Line
When did the light of morning fill a tomb? On Easter morning, the Savior walked out of that tomb, shining with all the glorious light of truth that the eyewitnesses were able to endure, for Jesus continued to give his disciples what they were ready to receive.
The tomb itself was left open, sitting with an open mouth as the morning light crept in. All who dare to approach that mouth, all who dare to listen and to look—they will hear that still small voice and see that this particular tomb is empty.
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