It is Friday and time for a dose of poetry. Aaron is away, but in light of his sermon this past Sunday that included an emphasis on faith, hope, and love, I would like to offer some poetry on the same. The poet that I will quote is a French poet of the early 20th century Charles Peguy. His poetry is nearly always religious in theme but dominated frequently by French and Roman Catholic flavors. Not probably the best things to recommend him to this crowd. I think that I have referred to him before though and didn’t get in too much trouble. I think that his long narrative style poem entitled The Portal of the Mystery of Hope (Eerdmans, 1996) is one of the most beautiful sustained reflections on hope and the other two cardinal virtues of faith and love.

The little hope moves forward in between her two older sisters [faith and charity] and one scarcely notices her.

Lost in her sisters’ skirts.

And they willingly believe that it’s the two older ones who drag the youngest along by the hand.

In the middle.

Between them.

To make her walk this rocky path of salvation.

They are blind who cannot see otherwise.

That it’s she in the middle who leads her older sisters along.

And that without her they wouldn’t be anything.

But two women already grown old.

Two elderly women.

Wrinkled by life.

It’s she the little one, who carries them all.

Because faith sees only what is.

But she, she sees what will be.

Charity loves only what is.

But she, she loves what will be.

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