Jacob Moore’s Reviews > Paradise > Status Update

This kingdom free of care and filled with joy,
crowded with citizens of the Old and New
turned all its love and vision to one goal.
O great delight that glittered for their view,
O threefold light within an only Star,
look on our battering tempest here below! (31.25-30)

Christ did not say to his first brotherhood,
'Go and preach silly tales of all the earth.'
but founded all their preaching on the truth,
And from their cheeks the truth alone blared forth:
only to kindle faith they went to war,
girt with the shield & lance of gospel truth.
Now they go forth to preach with jests galore
and tricksy words--and if people howl,
their caps swell up & they don't ask for more. (29.109-117)

Deep charity makes us ready servants of
the Wisdom that steers the world -- the charity
that sorts our places here as you observe. (21.70-72)

The kingdom of Heaven suffers violence
from living hope and burning charity
that overcomes the will of the divine.
Not as a man will overcome a man---
the divine wins because it would be won,
and won, it wins with its benignity. (20.94-99)