good friday

the loneliness
and the pain
external and internal
physical and spiritual
are hard to watch
hard to sit with you
in the midst of
my dear jesus

and the voices
so many voices
all around
mocking
insulting
hurling

and then yours
my God, my God
the only time
you didn't say
my Father
my Abba

handed over
pierced and crushed
poured out like water
bones out of joint
heart turned to wax
melted within you

encircled by bulls
torn to pieces
by roaring lions
are they the ones
i can see
what about the ones
i cannot see
are they not
worst of all

you became sin
bore our darkness
carried our sorrows
how extraordinarily heavy
that weight must have been
the physical is horrific
but the spiritual unimaginable
what you endured
for us

thank you
seems far
too small





We have to be willing to acknowledge and expose our wounds to the healing balm that flows from the pierced hands and feet and side.  We need humbly and gratefully to accept this healing, with a gratitude that impels us to seek to sin no more.  Then our looking upon him who has been pierced will be for us a saving glance. (Seeking His Mind by M. Basil Pennington)