A Jesuit on Mars

By Eric Hanna, S.J.

I think I'd like to be
A Jesuit on Mars
To soar through that black, airless sea

And evangelize the stars



Perhaps some child of the red sands

Awaits the Word of God

They'll gape in amazement as I land

In my ecclesial space pod

Some of the Martians would love peace

And live in crystal cities

But those walls would keep out beasts

That hunt men without pity



Unwalled wilderness I'd choose

I would not know this and I'd go

And seek to even further sow

The seeds of the Good News



I'd learn the curious Mars-beast tongue

And write a dictionary

While under salmon skies I'd run

Happy for now, but quite unwary



Alas! With monstrous coils and fangs

The enemy would catch me

And slobbering with hungry pangs

Would make plans to dispatch me!



I pray I would not try to run

From the glorious martyrdom

I'd want to stand up tall and true

But likely that's not what I'd do



I'd say, "You think I'd go down tastily

But don't make such a choice too hastily"



My sorry lie would be the worst

I'd tell a fib so wrong and vicious
I'd say, "Eat Daniel Leckman first

I hear that he is quite delicious"



Then I'd request to be transferred

Perhaps to a moon of Jupiter

So I think that I would like to be

A Jesuit … but cleverly.