Questions & Answers
Let not this word be narrowed to define Within its scope only the outward line And attitude of person, motion, art; Nor yet what paganism sets apart Personified in human shape as three Proud deities of Greek mythology; Nor yet what classifying thinking places In groups as social or as mental graces, Meticulously pigeonholed in high Neat finiteness. But let it signify That infinite and single grace which "came By Jesus Christ," triumphant; let it name That wide unmeasured mercy wherewith Truth Rejects the eye-for-eye and tooth-for-tooth Of callous Pharisaic computation; Let grace describe the tide of demonstration Which flowed unebbingly where Jesus' word, At urgent call of human need, conferred Hearing and sight, activity and peace, For every kind of lack, the quick release Of God's impartial love.
Know ye not that ye are not your own? That ye are God-possessed, and all unknown To God are false beliefs of pain and fear; For all came forth from Love, and Love is near? Man belongs to God—oh, freeing thought! What heights, what views belong to man, for nought Can bind God's child when he lays down his care And feels Love's peace around him everywhere.
It is easy to pay the fare to Tarshish, to hand out silver and gold; it is easy to take a ship to Tarshish and go down into the hold, and there to sleep in the ship of Tarshish, as Jonah slept of old. But they who follow God's directing a different price must pay: they must listen ever for His voice and, hearing it, obey; they must stand always on the watch by night as well as day.
" He fashioneth their hearts alike"— O glorious thought! One God and Father of us all Makes evil nought. Not by wish for place and power Or selfish greed, Not by multitude and host, Is mankind freed.
Beholding him, the Master loved him well, This rich young man who even from childhood up Had lived discreetly in the fear of God, This rich but meek young man who running came! How seldom do the rich find need to run! And now the Master wished for one as earnest No bitter drop in a cup so far so sweet; No loss but durable riches, home and heaven. To sell the trivial and these riches buy, He counseled, but the young man turned away— Who might have walked with angels comradely, In strange and heartbreak silence turned away! Why sorrowful, we question as we read— His wealth was still his own, each coin was safe, But here, if ever, was true cause for grief: The bright, the perfect vision, almost held, The nearly-uttered, peace-bestowing choice, Were past! A door that opened to his knock Showing the lovely things of home, of heaven, Had closed! Small wonder he was sorrowful, Walking again the garish, earthy road.
" Could ye not watch with me one hour?" Our Master asked when evil crept And sought to hold him in its power. But he was left alone to pray, While those who loved him drowsed and slept.
There had been silence for three hundred years. The ancient ones had said Messias soon would come.
" Lord, Lord," I cried, and wondered why I was not healed. Had I not asked in faith and to God's love appealed? Yet my petition seemed denied.
The morning sun, at periods twice-yearly, Selects my neighbor's house and deftly plays Straight through both windows east and west, and clearly Lights up the western lawn, and seems to raise That house from realm of bulk—seems to remold Its shape as avenue for weightless gold. Let me perceive my neighbor's path to be Throughout all seasons, in all ways, aligned In such resplendent receptivity.
What were you thinking, Peter, that night, Chained in your cell by Herod's decree? What realization summoned the light Which cast off your fetters and set you free? Calmly you slept till touched on the side By an angel appointed to lead you away. "Come, rise up quickly!" the messenger cried, And straightway you followed, swift to obey.