Grace

How is it so
That Your grace can be shed
Through so broken a vessel,
So often misread?

Imperfect, unbalanced,
Through turbulence wrought,
Capricious by nature,
Unholy in thought.

Given to whims
Of emotion and fate,
Captive to demons
That never abate.

How can You use
So repulsive a thing?
How make the worthless
Worthy again?

You, Creator,
Blessing and blest,
You who see all
And know us the best,

You use us despite
Our rebellious ways—
A mystery of grace
In the graceless of days.

By Linda Abner

(Linda Abner is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Indianapolis.) †

The Criterion