Give you an inch …

You ask me, Lord:
‘What do you want me
to do for you?’
And I reply:
‘Lord, that I may love you’
Then, with your oriental author,
I enlarge upon it:
‘With all my heart, with all my soul,
with all my strength.’
And with a western mind
I add (in small print)
‘and my neighbour as myself’.
You see, Lord,
love cannot express itself
in words alone,
it needs to be shown
also in deeds,
in concrete acts,
to actual persons.
Teach me to love them, Lord,
for love of you.
• • •
Give you an inch
and you become a ruler, Lord.
Yesterday I was prepared
to love you
with all my heart.
Even prepared to love my neighbour
as myself.
Now, wouldn't you think
that's enough?
But, no!
Give you an inch
and you become a ruler!
You want to push me further.
Further than Matthew, who said,
‘Be perfect as my Father’.
Further than Luke, who said,
‘Be compassionate as my Father.’
You push me further and say:
‘Love yourself as I love you.’
Now that's a tall order,
isn't it, Lord?

Andrew Zerafa sj

(Andrew Zerafa was a contributor to Madonna over many years. His last piece was in the Jan/Feb 2004 issue, a tribute to him following his death in October 2003. We are pleased to offer readers something of his wisdom and wit.)