Poem for Pentecost

He defeated death—
astonishing and irrevocable act—
and that is that.

But still,
there are all those years for us
of blundering and confusion,
of woundings both willful and unknowing,
of the slow boil of vanity and pride
under the thin veneer of righteousness,
of the easy slide into distraction
and the dulling weight of despair —
all of us forgetful in a careless instant
of what was finished for eternity.

And so,
“I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Helper,
who will teach you all things
and bring to your remembrance
all that I have said to you.”
Such perfect wisdom,
such depth of kindness,
such magnitude of grace
in that bequeathing.

Help is needed.
Help is provided.