As they once did in life, so now from their graves,
they are all secretly stretching
their hands out toward happiness,
And nobody grasp their hands.
Someday a moment will come;
a hand will reach out
from another world,
will reach in from another life,
and will grasp all the hands
that ever stretched themselves
out toward happiness.
It will be the hand of God, and yet
the hand of the most faithful brother.
Dead soldiers, and you who live
because they died here,
all of you who, in secret longing,
stretch your hands out toward happiness:
one day God’s hand will touch you!
one day His hand will come over you,
stroke your hot foreheads,
heal your bleeding wounds,
fill your empty hands.
All of you who secretly stretched out your hands toward happiness:
someday, someone will come
and take your hand!
- by Father Alfred Delp
