Faith; hope; and loving-kindness;
these three surpass all worldly understanding:

all these await in human nature
as inclinations that are natural;
to be awakened by the grace
that ever waits within us:

as these arise, faith takes the precedence;
then follows, hope; itself precedes
the love, the charity, the loving-kindness;

yet if alas, disorder, dissolution intervene,
first, love is lost; then hope;
and last of all goes faith;

yet, when these come into their perfection,
greatest of all these, is love;

hope and faith are then the charity
which love may shower on the world around
circle on circle as the gentle rain from heaven.

*

[leaning on the writings of Josef Pieper]

Michael Shepherd

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/these-three/