Monday, April 25, 2005

Divine Mercy Eve

This poem was sent to me from a dear seminarian friend in Rome, thank you to him, and being poetry should be read aloud:

Divine Mercy Eve
On the eve of Divine Mercy (the liturgical feast he instituted and favored most) and on the first Saturday of the month, John Paul II died at 9:37pm, while the pilgrims outside his window were praying the fourth mystery of the rosary. From his bed he looked toward the window overlooking the crowd, said “Amen” and delivered his soul to God. The night Pope John Paul II died, I had the privilege to be in St. Peter’s Square for the prayer vigil. Reflecting upon this grace and desiring to send to you the experience God granted me, this poem sprung from my heart.

Standing in St. Peter’s Square
Caressing my rosary beads
Frigid was the damp, night air
Wet the path my tear so leads

My lips tremble, my voice cracks
As holy chants meet my ear
It’s so hard to face the facts
Soon I’ll live the orphan’s fear

For this night my Father dies
My Vicar, John Paul the great
A man so holy and so wise
Who altered history’s fate

Infirmity is his cross
With silent words he preaches
Who can endure such a loss
Or ignore what he teaches

Thousands have come to his side
Prayers, songs, and candles aflame
Tears and smiles both abide
Invoking God’s holy name

Upon Divine Mercy’s eve
A first Saturday’s embrace
Like Simeon’s foretold leave
The fourth decade ends his race

He began in Mary’s name
Totus tuus he said then
With her he now ends the same
Proclaiming his last “Amen”

As these thoughts mingle with tears
Below his window I stand
My only Pope all my years
Leaves now to the Promised Land

Him I never touched or met
Yet I feel as his true son
My priesthood to him I debt
My respect and love he won

A gaping hole in my heart
In this sad moment he leaves
But then,
-says the Spirit-
Something new will start
Overcoming my bereaves

With us, John Paul will stay
His mission will still go on
In God’s heaven he shall reign
There breaking forth his new dawn

For orphans we shall not be
Our Father with us shall stay
From heaven he’ll hear our plea
And obtain God’s grace without delay

Yet John Paul shall live here still
Never departing from our side
But like Emmaus for us he will
Be in a new way to confide

And so this night, with my cries
A joyful peace consumes me
With my rosary done I rise
Faith affords serenity

True my Father this night dies
Countless tears ought to be shed
But now Saint John Paul does rise
And I will follow where he’s led

The damp night air seems long past
Proudly I lift my head high
My heart is ready at long last
And I leave St. Peter’s
Without a sigh.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who's the author?

GranRon

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