I believe in the sun even when it is not shining.
I believe in love when I feel it not
I believe in God even when he is silent.
The quote above is a powerful statement of faith, written during a very dark time. It is a well-known quote, but the story behind it is not well known. There are many variations to the story, all placing it in the context of World War II. It is often said to have been found scrawled on a bunk a German concentration camp somewhere. It has also been said to have been written on a wall in the Warsaw Ghetto. However, a blogger named Everett Howe appears to have found the most accurate story behind it. He places it in an underground hiding place for Jews in Cologne, Germany. The earliest reference to this quote and the story behind it appears in a Swiss newspaper on June 26, 1945. Germany had surrendered only a few weeks earlier, and it was written by a reporter writing from Cologne. This close proximity to the place and the time makes the story very credible. The article says:
Catholic Scouts had discovered underground passageways which had been unused for many years under old buildings. These could now serve as hide-aways from the Gestapo. At one point, nine Jewish fugitives hid here for four months, without ever being caught… When I visited the shelter, I had the opportunity to see the emergency housing, fully equipped with a kitchen, bedroom, living room, radio, a small library, and oil lamps; evidence of a stunning experience. Meals could only be prepared at night so as not to attract the Gestapo’s attention, who would have noticed the smoke during the day. Food had to be supplied by friends who willingly gave up a portion of their rations to help those unfortunate people living for weeks in utter darkness. The following inscription is written on the wall of one of these underground rooms, which in some ways resemble the Roman catacombs: ‘I believe in the sun, though it be dark; I believe in God, though He be silent; I believe in neighborly love, though it be unable to reveal itself.’
The words (and order) are different from the more familiar reading at the beginning of this meditation. The fact that it is a translation may account for some differences, and, quotes often do undergo changes.
But no matter the exact wording, or the story behind it, this is a profound and powerful and unforgettable statement of faith. And everyone of us, at least sometimes, or even much of the time, can relate to the dark times and silence of God described. Once again, here is the original wording:
I believe in the sun, though it be dark;
I believe in God, though He be silent;
I believe in neighborly love, though it be unable to reveal itself.
The sun is shining somewhere, even if the speaker is in the dark. The sun hasn’t gone away, and will still be there when the speaker emerges. The idea of God is now in the middle line, so it doesn’t have the same lingering impact as when it’s the final thought. The speaker can’t see the sun, and he can’t hear God’s voice. But he still hangs onto those items of faith, along with his trust in the love and compassion being shown to him in secret. The phrasing “neighborly love” references the Hebrew Bible command echoed in the Christian New Testament: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” We assume the inscription was written by one of the nine Jewish fugitives mentioned in the newspaper article and that the neighborly love has been shown by the “Catholic Scouts” who had originally discovered the underground passages. Are they the “friends” who gave up some of their rations for the fugitives? Probably so. The rest of the story, including the fate of the nine hidden Jews and those who helped them, is not known.
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Habakkuk 3:16-19a — I heard and my heart pounded; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines; though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food; though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength.
Romans 14:8 — If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Psalm 56:1-4 — Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long… When I am afraid, I put my trust in you; in God, whose word I praise; in God I trust and am not afraid.
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O God, you are the only hope of the world and the only refuge for the unhappy. Give me courage and strength midst my conflicts and troubles here on earth. Protect me from the utter ruin that would befall me if my weak faith ever gave way under the many blows which assail me. Remember that I am mere dust and shadow, whose life is as fleeting as the flower in the grass. May your eternal mercy rescue me from the jaws of evil. I thank you Lord, that even when the worst happens in the life of the child of God, the best still remains. Amen.
–St. Bede, English monk and scholar (672-735)
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The source for much of today’s meditation comes from this website that tells the stories behind, and meaning of, many songs and hymns: ( https://debisimons.com/ )
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