Alphonsus, A Man on Fire

“Return Love for Love”
is what he said to do.
When all was said and done, this was his heart’s deep cry,-
‘return love, for love’.

Live in the Birth of Bethlehem,
walk in its stables,
smell its smells,
and then
be filled with speechless wonder
at the One Who Is,
and who is lying in the food-trough of
the beasts.

Live in the Call of Calvary,
Come back again to stand
upon that hill,
don’t run away from the awe-filled
horror as you stand
and gaze at our Messiah,-
Sent by the One who so greatly
loved the World.
Live in the shadow of its radiance.

Live in the ever-lasting gift of Eucharist,
Behold the Man! Behold the Lamb!
Behold your God, given in a wafer:
Drink in the meaning of the Cup.
‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink?’
‘We can…’ said those
two Thunder Brothers to their Lord.
And so can we,- drink of the
overflowing cup of given life.

Return love for love.
‘Live in my love’, said He.
‘As He (my Father) has loved me,
that is the very how
my love is now
for you!’

Come, live in it, and drink of it,-
Come, laugh in it
with joy,-
‘so that your joy may be full’.

If he has so loved us,-
then we
might live our lives,
returning love for love.

*( Memories of visit to Naples-Scala, and of page 47 of Frederick Jones’ book on the writings of Alphonsus Liguori, in Classics of Western Spirituality Series..)*

Seamus Devitt C.Ss.R.,- from www.emptifulvessels.com , a collection of poem-reflections by S. Devitt C.Ss.R.