Let me be Zechariah,
whose doubt led him
to humble silence.
Let me be Elizabeth,
whose answered prayer
led her to rejoice,
to see Christ in the very young.
Let me be Joseph,
whose dreams led him
to acceptance,
to safety,
to home.
Let me be like those shepherds,
who presented their unclean selves
to a child who would one day
die for them.
Let me be Simeon and Anna
and hold every newborn
with reverence and awe.
Let me be like the Magi
And gaze upon the night sky,
Asking stars their names,
Thanking them for being part of us.
Let me be the twelve-year-old Jesus
and find myself where I’m supposed to be,
and once there, ask questions and listen.
Let me believe in angels and journeys
and cold nights that become
days full of sun.
John Hopkins has been an English teacher for forty-three years. His poetry has appeared in Commonweal, St. Anthony Messenger, the National Catholic Reporter, The Leaflet, Sr. Melannie Svoboda’s blog, Sunflower Seeds, the Catholic Poetry Room, Amethyst Review, Ekstasis Magazine, and Fr. Timothy Joyce’s book Celtic Quest. For the past eight years, John has been a Benedictine Oblate affiliated with Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham, Massachusetts. He has published three books of poetry: Celtic Nan, Make My Heart a Pomegranate, and With Caught Rain. You can reach John at brotherjohnnyhop@gmail.com.