Hope Resurrected

From failure to great Victory; obscurity to fame;
From death to Life Eternal first Resurrection came.
From godlessness to Christian Faith, from hatred into love;
Intolerance to charity through the grace of God above.
Forgiveness for brutality, resentments mollified;
Forgotten deprivations compassion can provide.

Souls who've lived in darkness, bereft of growth and light,
Rise from tombs to sunshine of God's grace and beauty bright.
Hope for all the hopeless; from suicide to life;
Detente and acceptance in place of fear and strife.
From political upheaval to co-operative accord;
Supply of farming implements in place of gun and sword.
Trust from deep suspicion, hunger satisfied,
Urgent, life-supporting needs sacrificially supplied.
For drought, life-giving water; health-giving nourishment
For precious starving children, for whom suffering was not meant.
Sickness and malnutrition replaced by strength and health
Through better distribution of this earth's ample wealth.
From barrenness of apathy and blank looks of despair,
There can spring a zest for life - Hope resurrected there!

These all are resurrections; but before they can succeed
Must come the crucifixion of selfishness and greed.
Indifference and ignorance toward a world's vast need
Takes rebirth of caring - a love by action freed.
The death of sin and anger, of apathy and pride
Took place one day at Calvary when our Loving Saviour died.
And from His Resurrection rise flowers sweet and fair,
The blooms of deep compassion,
Whose fragrance say "WE CARE".

Honoria A. Groves