For Rev. Jerry Stinson

 
Radical love stops a stranger on the street
and invites her to God’s eternal banquet.

Radical love stays up all night,
plotting ways to make you laugh.

Radical love holds you in its arms and supports you,
even when you think you’re standing on your own.

Radical love knocks on your door
every day to invite you out to play.

Radical love has given you billions
of sisters and brothers so you’ll never be lonely.

Radical love patiently waits for the invitation
to make your feet dance, your arms embrace and serve.

Radical love searches the earth for your soul
whenever you play hooky from the divine party.

Radical love wants more than anything
to tickle you ‘til you giggle like a toddler.

Radical love doesn’t care that you don’t get it.
Like a child who runs away but comes home for dinner,
sooner or later you’ll come home to God.

Radical love trusts that when you see
the truth of your oneness with all beings,
you will join with them to clap and shout
and sing and dance forever.

The poem may be used with attribution. Tina Datsko de Sánchez serves as Poet in Residence at the First Congregational Church of Long Beach. She is the author of the bilingual poetry book The Delirium of Simón Bolívar.