The Same Heart

Ron Panzer
March 13, 2014
Reproduced with Permission
Hospice Patients Alliance

This same heart beats within,
the heart You gave us,
the heart they despised.

They haven't silenced it yet.
It still speaks!
Still yearns for the same love.

They only know how to destroy,
to hate, to grab,
and yes, even kill.

"Do they have a heart?"
I wondered then,
and wonder still.

As I watched from the window,
many years ago, I cried!
and reached out to You.

It can hurt to have this heart!
How is it they don't seem to feel,
don't seem to know this pain at all?

Yet, it also gives us joy:
We laugh. We jump,
and are amazed by it all.

They've turned away now,
shut down, deadened themselves,
to Your Creation, Your grace, You.

They let out a different laugh,
such a mad, scorn-filled sound,
that contains no joy.

They endlessly strained to impose
their terribly dreary,
hollow way of life.

And were utterly bewildered
when we tossed away
their "great" treasure.

Like strangers we lived,
moving through the bizarre, petty world
they shaped and ruled.

They don't hear.
They don't see.
They don't know You at all.

Yes, this is the same heart
the heart You gave me,
to replace the old, so long ago.

Singing the same song,
the very same song
I heard years ago!

Amazed, I journey home at long last,
Dancing and twirling
as I skip along.

Such a delightful love song!
It's the only one,
the only one that never ends!

It's a melody,
drifting along,
floating upon the breeze.

All my life I've heard and followed it.
All my life I've reached for it,
with all my love and all my being.

It was Your heart singing!
I didn't know then!
but now I begin to see!

When sacrifice turns to song,
and suffering turns to joy,
Your mysterious Way is known!

Yes! This dust goes to dust!
This song joins Your song!
My spirit finally rests in You.

My heart reaches out to Your Heart,
love reaches out to Love,
being reaches out to Being.

Neighbor! Sister! Brother!
You and I have one heart,
given up for us by our true Friend.

The one heart He gave us,
out of such a wondrous,
such an unfathomable love!

Do you hear the song?
Do you feel the love?
Do you understand what it means?

He gave up all,
to show it,
and share it,

So we can live,
and truly live,
with that sacred heart,

So we can serve,
and care for each other,
all the days of our lives.

So we can meet Him,
and follow Him,
and adore Him without end!

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