A Hymn to God for the Missionary We Know!

A friend in Montreal sent us a message that Henri Boulad, S.J. has just celebrated his birthday...We looked up references and found that Fr. Boulad, a professor of theology and a scholar who continues to lecture and write, was born in August 1931. But late is better than never to congratulate our dear friend of his 83rd birthday anniversary...

Here is a little hymn of thanksgiving to God for the missionary we know,

How Can I Thank You?  How beautiful is your gift to us...For among us in Egypt, you raised a man that challenged the dark powers with his voice and pen...
How Can I Thank You?  How beautiful is your gift to us...For over 50 years, we have been blessed by your servant's missionary work in Egypt, Sudan, Lebanon, France, Hungary, Belgium, Germany, and many other countries including Canada my own, and the U.S.
How Can I Thank You?  How beautiful is your gift to us...He is made of steel (as in his last name: Boulad=Foulaz), yet very understanding to the needs of humanity in his projects and the humanization of a savage world.
How Can I Thank You?  How beautiful is your gift to us...It did not bother him that his family was forced out of Syria in 1860 because of persecution...He loves his persecutors. He critiques the injustice of men, yet, celebrates their being Your children - children of God.
How Can I Thank You?  How beautiful is your gift to us...He earned advanced degrees in multiple disciplines, yet he speaks with the tender voice of a child, and gives retreats to ordinary people.
How Can I Thank You?  How beautiful is your gift to us...He is the student of mystics and saints such as Ignatius of Loyola and Jean Vianney of Ars.
How Can I Thank You?  How beautiful is your gift to us...He is the open mind that learned from Teilhard de Chardin, Henri de Lubac, and Karl Rahner - Teaches as they taught and follows Vatican II.
You know his name: Henri Boulad.
Keep him O Lord of all and send him to us in Canada. May Your Name be glorified in the rest of his life, and beyond this life, when I hope he joins the Virgin Mary, angels and saints in your everlasting heaven.