A little over a
week ago, my beloved grandmother Kathleen Elsner passed away. I wrote this poem
in memory of her. It is a hymn, but it is infused with her influence. It
reflects my memories of watching the cardinals in her backyard and her love of
tea and my assurance that in Christ, she is now
in glory, and I remain connected to her.
Eternal Love
O Father God, You are Eternal Love.
Your love is manifest in all we see:
A flash of scarlet wings against white
snow,
A flower bed, a smile, a cup of tea
Sweet daily blessings printed with Your
name
But sweeter still the love that makes them
shine,
Infusing every memory we share
With precious glimmers of Your love divine.
O Son of God to human parents born
You shared our joys and felt our pain and
grief.
You bled and died for sins of those You
love.
By death, from death You brought us our
relief
And rising, You have conquered every wrong.
Relationships we broke You have restored,
Temporal image of Eternal Love,
We thank and praise you, Savior and our
Lord.
O Holy Spirit, Comforter and Strength,
You breathe, and sin-crushed spirits come alive
You make our lives reflect the risen
Christ,
You lift us to the goal toward which we
strive.
You bind in unity all those You touch,
Through space and time and into heav’n
above,
Where those who’ve gone before wait till we
join
Their perfect union with Eternal Love.
