OUR BROTHER MAURICE DIED
From here he will enter heaven's hall
of those who served their Lord
through history's study and teaching.
With dates as plentiful
as dandruff,
his students often nodded,
but none escaped
the gripping and consoling lesson
that God sustained the truth
for those with courage to seek it.
In heaven's history hall,
beyond fair Oxford and Bonaventure U.,
this teacher will seek Celano,
the first of Franciscan scribblers,
and Bonaventure,
who showed by holiness
that a little brother
could be trained and highly learned,
but best of all,
friar Maurice will corner
the gossipy Salimbene,
who wrote about far more
than churchmen's edifying deeds.
Our brother claimed
that this was proof for Incarnation,
the need for a Lord and Savior,
and with a smile the teacher assured
his hundreds of budding scholars,
notorious scandals sullied the Church,
each age of sinful history,
but none could ever be so large
that seekers of truth
would doubt the way
that led once more
to Jesus,
while Salimbene smiled
and nodded his ascent.
Sept. 12, 2013
Bonaventure Stefun, OFM Cap.