-- Faith As Real --

by John Herlihy

Is our faith but an elusive charm

And not the echo of an inner psalm?

Mere murmurings of a haunting ghost,

At life’s party as a shadowy host.

How to make our faith really real,

How the love of the Beloved to steal.

At times the forces of our lives rushed,

Seldom by an invisible hand touched.

Confronted by silence our faith may pale,

Faith’s face drained, our daily bread stale.

Faith calls out with the voice of a panther,

We listen carefully, but there is no answer.

All hope dries up, our tongue is parched,

Our caravan thru life’s wasteland marched.

Yet in the desert of life always lies a well,

To be sought and found, to weave its spell.

The breath of life may be faint, the spirit weak,

In the distance, a snow-capped mountain peak.

The journey is hazardous, the horizon is far,

In the twilight sky shines forth the North Star.

Faithful faith, our beloved faith, shining bright,

In the darkness of our lives an enduring light.

Faith as a stranger who takes you by the hand,

Faith as a friend, listen to and heed its demand.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Monday 30 December 2024