Saints Of Antiquity Poem by Boston Kelley

O saints of antiquity!
How much I admire you!
My praise of you flows
like a never-ending stream!
Be honored for all that you have
done to exercise your devotion to God!

Look at our world and see the immense
hustle and bustle of our lives.
As time has progressed, our daily tasks
have become innumerable.
Trapped within the busyness of life,
how can we hope to live contemplative
lives as you all did?

You all desired nothing to do with worldly
pleasures, abstaining from materialism.
God was your primary desire, intimacy with
Him was your only pursuit.
The world's snares had no grip on you
for the condition of your hearts mattered
more.

You gathered in monasteries to live lives
of solitude in communities of other like-
minded people.
You chose poverty knowing that a man cannot
serve two masters.

See how high I hold you in esteem!
You are the ones I desire to be like!

Alas, our world has become depraved.
The Christian life has become lukewarm
opposed to the devotion you showed.
We remain inside our homes whereas you
traveled around the world, spreading the
Gospel.
People chase after earthly things, not
knowing the goodness of heavenly things.

O saints, if only you could see our world
and teach us the proper life of a Christian.