Father Sharbel Francis Mary Hayward F.I.—that stands for Franciscans of the Immaculate of Perth, Australia—whose beautiful poetry has appeared here before, sends another of his works as he prepares to fly back to his native land:
Flowing forward to the hour
When farewell we cry,
Fears fade as dawn awakes
To shine and never die.
Down the tears in silence flow
Merged both joy and pain,
Soaring high the soul aloft
Below a vessel lain.
In peaceful bliss forgotten not
Love's kin upon the sea,
A prayer to guide and safely keep
On course and bended knee.
All in day and all in night
How different all does seem,
Treasures rare await the Love
That bled so to redeem.
Father Sharbel, who has been stationed at the F.I. mission in New Bedford, Mass., makes his flight back to Australia Thursday, where he will be Mission Superior according to the order's Web site. I wrote to him that I would pray for traveling mercies. He replied with typical Down Under humor, "My idea of traveling mercies would be an upgrade as I am 6'3"...but then again it might look strange for a Franciscan to be in the fancy section of the plane." That it would—but please do pray for Father Sharbel and his fellow F.I.'s, who claim St. Maximilian Kolbe as their patron.
