9/3/22
Hanging on the Cross, I see Your face
One might think it be a lonely place
But now the world is centered on the Cross
With You who suffered to redeem our loss
Disciples having fled, your faithful ones
Stand by you now: your daughters and your sons
Our Mother, full of sorrow we console
We long to give our life complete and whole
Redemption even now is still at hand
And so, while suffering, we understand
The world lives on the triumph of the Cross
And thus has much to gain with every loss
8/13/22
A man with a wonderful wife
Who’d passed to eternal life
Remained with her deep in love
And longed to unite above
He sought with his own methods first
Which turned out to be the worst
Until he encountered friends
Who led him to better ends
The details he cared for much:
Repairs and reports and such
But missing a human way
‘Till friends helped him seize the day
8/26/22
A hero facing squarely every foe
Enduring loss and hunger, trial and woe
Receives for his great valor much reward
What mighty deeds, he fights with shield and sword
What happiness can come if one would dare
To march into what might give one a scare
Adventure: inconvenience wrongly thought;
If only more considered it be sought!
8/2/22
There was a man who talked too much
Poor guy! He never knew
The treasure if he’d only hush
To hear his friends anew
8/1/22
A man who wore his heart upon his sleeve
Saw consequences easy to believe
For, though he was a good-intentioned man,
He made regretful choices in the span
Of much of life for him: Oh, what a shame!
He could have had an honored, worthy name
Then turning to the treasure for his heart;
He thence resolved to never from her part
And “Better late than never,” said the man
“Late have I loved thee, now I give all I can”
7/29/22
A soldier once desired another life
To free him of his duties and the strife
And thus forgot the beauty of his call:
A “no” for greater “yes”; to give it all
If only he was younger, stronger still
Or rather, was much wiser, full of skill
If only he had chosen other ways
Of dedicating time in all his days
A tug upon his heart, amid this thought
Now threatened change of course, so nearly wrought
But he recalled the reason for his course
Along which he resumed with stronger force
7/24/22
My Lord, My God, I ask that I may see
The Way to follow what You ask of me
For now I neither see nor understand;
I ask that You may lead me by the hand
I know that Heaven is the final goal
And long to give my heart, complete and whole
But details now escape me; grant me hope
That I may resolutely climb this slope
I trust in You as knowing what is best
Do not subject me in the final test
To trials that my strength, with You, can’t bear;
I trust You’ll save me with Your loving care
I thank You for this calling given me
A faithful soul I wish to always be
And if there are some details You now hide
I now accept whatever You decide
7/3/22
A fisherman, whose life perhaps was grim
Has left all things and promptly followed Him
Perhaps his life was filled with little hope
Despairing when no fish were caught with rope
But “Duc in altum”: “Set into the deep”
A catch of fish: He did His promise keep
The fisherman bent low with shame, but then
His Master said he’d now be catching men
This fisherman, who’s now left everything
Encountered Love, with joy to make him sing,
And for this sinner’s generosity,
A hundredfold and life-eternity
8/15/22
A little flame was lit within a soul
It took a while to warm the body whole
But then there was another soul in touch
Ignited by the one who loved him much
A tiny light amid the darkness grew
Until, all through the forest, passing through
A glowing vastness roared and gleamed so bright
That one could barely tell if it was night
The greatness of that little flame was shown
Beyond what those who saw it would have known
The warmth of hearts enkindled by the flame
Has spread from soul to soul and name to name
Pilgrim Poet 