All Saints

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours…
(1 Corinthians 1:2)

All saints, and yet
The pagans quake
To see the lives that some saints live;

All saints, and yet
A man, we’re told,
Has taken his own father’s wife;

All saints, and yet
Hardened and proud;
All saints and yet
Stuck in our ways;
All saints,
And yet not saintly.

All saints, but some
Are snatched from flame;
All saints, and yet
Too close to fire
Some saints naively dangle.

All saints, and yet
Called to be saints,
All saints, called to be holy.