On a city street of asphalt and concrete
where last winter’s ice cracks a stubborn sidewalk,
a defiant dandelion takes root and proudly
Puts forth its floral sunburst.
A young couple prays test results will confirm
If this time the Lord will at last bless them with new life
Even as a world away another couple awaits word
An orphaned child will soon make them a family.
With each interminable hour and passing day
Prisoners and hostages alike long for news
Their detainment is at an end and their
Long-awaited deliverance is at hand.
With aching joints and weakened legs and a heart
Broken by loss of too many loved ones over the years
An elder reverently plants a delicate sapling
under whose shade future generations will rest.
War-weary relatives bid a reluctant farewell
As their young flee certain death for refuge
In a land that once welcomed such as they,
Trusting in a God known for liberation.
Hope thus infuses every moment of every day
With a vision of a far, far better world
Transforming the most mundane into a holy shrine
Compelling us to take off our shoes and worship.
– By Joseph R. Veneroso, MM
