Standing in the road some
time ago,
There was a man, who seemed
to suffer so,
He stood and wept and then
he sighed and said,
“I would prefer to be
already dead,
For life is worse to me
than any hell,
Nothing that I’ve done,
have I done well!
All my opportunities are
gone,
I feel as if the sun has
never shone!”
To hear these words, who
would not be distressed?
And I thought what word can
I suggest
To ease the pain of deep
sincere regret
Of Him, the devil caught
inside his net.
Jesus came, to save us sinners, all,
Of whom I am the chief, so said St. Paul. (I Timothy 1:15)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sin which is inflicted on
the soul,
Painfully dividing what is
whole,
Becomes so clear and
evident to see,
When chained to passion,
man’s no longer free.
Bad habits are a scourge
throughout his life,
Through passion, causing
cruel, bitter strife,
And make of him a most
obedient slave,
Until the day he’ll lie
inside his grave.
Alas! How many idle hours are spent,
Seeking pleasure—while there’s
time, repent!
For in this world, as long
as he has breath,
Humility redeems a man from
death;
“Remember me, O Lord!” the thief had said,
And then he entered Paradise instead!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And showed him that all
earthly things are vain,
The good he’d done had been
construed as bad,
His joy was changed,
becoming very sad.
But God is good, and seeks to
save us all,
Despite our weakness and
our constant fall,
And this He does by ways
which are sublime,
Disclosed when He esteems
the proper time.
He laid upon his servant’s
back a cross,
That to many, seemed to be
a loss,
But others who were pure in
heart could see,
An unexpected blessing this
would be.
What will he become? That, no one knows,
To follow God’s
commandments, though, he chose.
With
thanks to beloved Bishop Paul, spiritual mentor and holy friend through whom
God has blessed me. From his new book of
poetry, A Spiritual Journey 200 Holy Sonnets now available on
Amazon.com.
