Month: June 2023

Love’s True Soldier

Posted on by Jeff Cassman

In the realm of faith, where valor marks the soul,
An apostle rose, his heart on God’s grand goal.
Saint Paul was his name, a beacon of divine light,
Walking ‘neath the heavens, his spirit took its flight.

A heroic mantle he bore, though not of sword or shield,
But a strength that came from words, a courage that would not yield.
The light that sparkled in his eyes, mirrored the stars above,
A soldier not in war but peace, his weapon, undying love.

His voice echoed through valleys, over mountains, across the sea,
“Love thy neighbor,” he urged, “as God has loved thee.”
From Damascus to Jerusalem, in synagogues he stood,
Preaching not mere doctrine, but the universal good.

In the storm of persecution, his faith stood firm and tall,
Neither chains nor stony hearts could make this giant fall.
With wisdom dipped in grace, his words like honey flowed,
Each syllable, a star that in the dark firmament glowed.

He traversed lands of sand and stone, under the scorching sun,
Yet, no trial could quench the flame of this God-chosen one.
A hero, not in valor won by sword’s glinting sheen,
But by the force of love, in every heart he’d been.

His journey echoed through time, resonating still,
A testament of faith, of an iron will.
A melody of divine love, his life, a symphony,
A beacon for us all, in an ocean vast and free.

In the tapestry of ages, his figure stands, bold,
An apostle … Read the rest

Toiling in God’s vineyard

Posted on by Jeff Cassman

Beneath the azure Florentine sky, the tale unfolds,
Of Aloysius, the saint, in holy hymns extolled.
A tale spun of devotion, and an enduring love,
A voice of peace, like the cooing of a dove.

From Gonzaga’s noble household he did hail,
Yet he sought a path beyond earthly avail.
In the Jesuit folds, he traced his divine quest,
In humility and service, he found his beauteous zest.

A soldier’s armor he laid aside, with an infant’s mirth,
Embracing a shepherd’s robe, he walked on holy earth.
Toiling in God’s vineyard, in the heart of Rome,
Serving the plague-stricken, making streets his home.

Oh, Aloysius, your courage outshone the Florentine sun,
Your love like Arno’s river, towards the sea did run.
In suffering and solitude, in the shadow of the cross,
You found your kingdom, counting all else as loss.

A youth yet not twenty-four, to the heavens you soared,
Leaving behind echoes of love, forever to be adored.
A celestial lily blooming, your essence never to fade,
In the Jesuit garden, your mark forever made.

Aloysius of Gonzaga, the heavens sing your name,
In the heart of Florence, burns your eternal flame.
In the annals of the faithful, your story gleams,
A beacon of surrender, in God’s love it teems.… Read the rest

A noblewoman of virtuous might

Posted on by Jeff Cassman

In ancient Florence’s noble land,
A woman stood with purpose grand,
Saint Juliana Falconieri by name,
A beacon of light, her saintly flame.

With grace and beauty, she was adorned,
Her heart in service of God, firmly sworn,
In the footsteps of Christ, she trod,
Devoted to serving the will of God.

A noblewoman of virtuous might,
She sought to spread God’s love and light,
Through acts of kindness, she would bring,
Comfort to those suffering.

In devotion to the Virgin Mary,
Juliana’s love knew no boundary,
Her heart ablaze with fervent desire,
To ease the world’s pain, to quench its fire.

With compassion as her guiding star,
She founded the Sisters, near and far,
The Third Order of Servites, their name,
To serve the Lord and proclaim His fame.

Her words like poetry, soft and kind,
Inspired others, hearts entwined,
To follow her path, to embrace her call,
To serve humanity, one and all.

She taught the lessons of selfless love,
The grace bestowed from God above,
In humble service, they found their worth,
Transforming lives upon this Earth.

Saint Juliana, a luminary divine,
Her legacy continues to shine,
A testament to a life well-lived,
In service to God, she truly thrived.

So let us remember her sacred name,
And kindle in our hearts the flame,
To follow her footsteps, stand tall,
And serve the world with love for all.… Read the rest

A lonesomely bright and glistening star

Posted on by Jeff Cassman

In shadows cast by polished glass,
In love with self, does time elapse,
The Narcissist blooms in mirrored pools,
An echo rings, her own applause.

A dance of words, a grand charade,
In shining light and darkened shade.
The world’s a stage, no room for others,
In love with self, she smothers.

No truth is seen beyond reflection,
Self-adoration, self-perfection.
A symphony of me, myself, and I,
To the world, she waves a blithe goodbye.

Golden sunsets, silver moons,
The song of life plays to its tunes.
The mirror’s charm, a siren’s song,
It’s here that she belongs.

From solipsistic twilight gleam,
To ego’s endless, flowing stream.
In every pulse, in every vein,
Is a love that echoes, yet in vain.

Oceans deep, the gaze does plunge,
In depths of self, it does indulge.
A lonesomely bright and glistening star,
Lost in her light, from others afar.

Yet in the heart of mirrored night,
There may yet pierce a truthful light.
If only the gaze could turn to see,
The shared humanity, the collective we.

But in her grandeur she blooms,
Deaf to all but her own tunes.
In the mirror, she finds delight,
Her world confined to reflective light.

So beware the lure of the mirrored abyss,
The hollow allure of narcissistic bliss.
For life is a melody best sung together,
In a chorus of hearts, light as a feather.… Read the rest

The phantom of yesterdays

Posted on by Jeff Cassman

In the garden where lilies mourn their shade,
The woman weeps under the willow’s veil,
Her heart a tomb where once a cradle laid,
Her dreams like glass, now shattered and frail.

Beneath the twilight, the wind begins to wail,
Echoing her sorrow, her tragic tale,
A silent symphony, a wordless ballad,
Of a love born, too delicate to avail.

In her arms, the phantom of yesterdays,
In her eyes, a sun that’s lost its rays,
An empty cradle sways with the moonlight,
Her lullabies float on the night’s hushed ways.

She seeks her child in every dawn’s first light,
In the silent whispers of the starry night,
In the dewdrops clinging to a rose’s heart,
In the fleeting joy of a bird’s flight.

In autumn leaves, she finds her babe’s laughter,
In spring’s bloom, the dreams that came after,
But with every season’s passing stride,
Her hopes fade, her heart beats slower.

Still, she searches in the ocean’s tide,
In the mountain’s strength, in the river’s guide,
A mother’s love, undying, rides the despair,
Seeking solace where pain and loss reside.

Yet, in her heart, she holds a prayer,
That in the expanse of limbo’s sphere,
Her child plays in fields of eternal June,
Where love transcends, and there is no fear.

For in her heart, a truth so poignant,
That love transcends life’s every moment,
Her child lives in each breath she takes,
In every tear, every lament.

In despair’s clasp, the woman awakes,
Her heart may shatter, … Read the rest