pivot of the ages ..

who hangs there naked in shame      ?

what wickedness has he done      ?
what violence
what evil
?

who has he injured      ?
who has he murdered
who has he raped
what has he stolen
what bond did he break
?

was it you he assaulted      ?
your mother that he killed
your brother that he murdered
your sister that he raped
?

did he take your stuff as if it was his own      ?
did he lie to deceive
remove you from your throne
?

when did you discover you needed his life gone   ?
displayed in death
   humiliated
   torn ..
?
..


wait .. it wasn't you   ?
then who   ?
who
?

who found him in the temple   ?
   disrupting business as usual
who hated him for saying
   we were doing it all wrong
who is it the people honor with palms
   not knowing what they do
who is it that ran away
   and left him for the high priest's crew
who was it that crowed to the sunrise
   pretending him they never knew
?

who left him all alone      who left him all alone
   all alone
o   o      o
..

but the women knew       the women knew

or even if they didn't know they stood by him with him for him
holding him in their heart
their mind twisted in anguish
   as they regard his twisted form
      through swollen eyes

that this one       this one
   could die so       could die so
o      O      ooo
..


and now he waits in Hades Halls
talking with departed souls
and tomorrow the harrow
the blessed harrowing of hell
..

praise be to God who makes all things new
through this one
this triumphant human      Jesus      the Christ

blessed be his name
..

the cock will crow tomorrow morn
   welcoming the sun to a brand new age
   as the Son of Man walks out the tomb resplendent
      in his new body
         never before worn
            by anyone
            anywhere
            ever

and Mary waits
she can't let go       she can't let go     
she can't believe he's gone ..
o      Oooo      ooo

but soon she will know him again ..

that voice       that voice
same voice that spoke the universe into being
   will call her name in love

Hope has arrived in person
and we cannot deny it
..

and all creation waits
oo oo oo ..
   to be released from corruption
      into the glorious freedom of God's children


and the Son of Man waits
he can't let go      he can't let go
he won't let go      he won't let go
O! O! O!

' good ' friday ..

i never could understand why 'Good' friday ..
and i refuse to look it up today ..
..


the Cross
   is the interruption of the world as we know it
   a sinking vessel sailing to a hellish end
      piloted by blind WealthPower
         gritting his teeth
   with barely an occasional glimmer of Hope
      pronounced by crazed prophets
         in the name of This or That god
         the promise by some of a Messiah
..


but       the Cross ..

still two thousand years later we barely nod in Its direction
   as we fashion new cut flowers into Arrangements For Easter
   and shop for colored eggs and sweet rabbits
      to assuage our galled belly ..


we somehow feel it in the gut
   deep it lies within us
as we dare skip past it ..
how could we    ?
..

there is a cross deep within each of us
   and Christ tells us " take it up "
don't deny It ..
deny me
follow him
..

what is the Cross    ?
a place    ?
an event   ?
or is It the heart of God from eternity to eternity infinite
where love is found
..

It is the heart of God
It resides within me
i must take It up
deny my Selfish Self
and follow a path laid out by Christ
   emblazoned on history's canvas one dreadful day in time
   witnessed in blood that ran from Jesus' body

the compassion that dripped from the rough-hewn wood
   ran blood-red in color
      the blood-red color of the heart of the God whose heart
         shattered at every biting crash of the hammer
         as They watched him be nailed to a tree - his pain
         Their pain - like some sign
            some announcement
            some declaration
            some violent angry statement of a lost confused humanity
               anxious for a scapegoat on which to hang their guilt
               their bloodlust dripping from mouth-watering anticipation
                  of crucifying themselves
                     vicarious suicide, this


         Grace and Truth is murdered
..

there is an interval i must inhabit
   to remind me of who i am
      where i came from
      where i'm heading ..
if i don't remember i'll forget

it is what defines me

i don't live here
i'm from here

Good Friday to you

this day ..

loud shrill repeated over and over and ..

in this most pleasant sitting

a touching wind
a dancing shadow of light
an underrated presenting of tender colors
   offering the seeer such pleasure
a broad cover of new verdance in every shade
   shading

who taught the Mocker to sing the songs of a thousand
   and no song to claim as its own

where are the new silver gray kittens hidden


the dogwoods blush white and paled red

the clouds left for new playgrounds
..


all the while
   stretching from the Netherworld
a vicious evil
   named
   but unpronounced
strikes
   at life
      lungs g-r-asp for air
      hearts constrict in fear
         even the pompous raising their glasses to the rollicking loud
            admit their frightened soul

what to do

where to run

how to kill it 'fore it kills me
..


strange (?) how life drops to the lowest common denominator
   so readily
once the fluff is blown away
and we are forced       have to    admit
   that my privilege is useless

the Red Devil craves the taste of my blood as much as the other
..


and the blossoms bloom
as the hatchlings open their eyes
   to life
      in all its delight
serenaded by the glorious calls of a thousand welcomers
   to life
..


so we refuse to pronounce the name of This Death

let it die in ignominy
   in anonymy

while the wildflowers stretch their resplendent petals to the light
and mother cat preens
 
      smiling all the while

a kingdom city ..

a city whose walls are falling in
whose bulwarks serve no purpose
   any longer

a deserted home of carrion birds

but there are to be found there   
   evidences of your images
tucked away in holes in deserted rooms
propped up against ruined walls
dusted
weathered
worn
discolored

the habitat of moss
naked to the sky
the bright blue sky where the hawk lives   
   borne aloft by the winds of promise
   the beauty of lofty flight in its wings
crying for companionship   
   for fellowship
      an echoed word
   a gentle breeze
   a place to land

someone saw the landscape 
   and the towering smokestacks and the broken walls
   and the gliding hawk and frightening vulture
   the worn staircase
   the chimney cluttered with coaldust a century-old   
   the blued glass above the empty window ..

and in their eye glimmered a promise of space renewed
home of the weary
with lights on
green vegetables
and artists-wrought wood and canvas and clay
the smell of freshly baked bread
the sidewalk coloured with this morning's cut flowers
the sound of children frolicking on the grass
the melody of music wafting its way in and out among the vendored wares
   flavoured with the taste of fresh-brewed java

a promise of New Life

the laughter of weightlessness
the banter of camaraderie
hopscotch into the blue sky


and the vision ran like a deep blue river flowing 
   through the grasses and the trees 
   and the walls
and the animals drink from it's banks
and all the people lapped it's waters and found within them wells   
   springing up into life..
New Life

and life gave birth to life

and the Life smiled
   that Life that was the Light of all peoples everywhere      
      for all time

Thy kingdom come .. .

social distancing ? ..

gates
doors
walls
wire
      they serve to separate

religion
politics
race
economics
nationality
      can serve to divide
..

perhaps if not the primary issue, one of the main issues with apostle paul
   was unity
one Body
one mind
one intention
one love
one in Christ

we are called to live with the motivation of elevating others over our own selves
   to consider others before ..
      " Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others
      as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but
      take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude
      that Christ Jesus had. "      (Paul at Philp 2 3-5)

this calling seems ridiculous
it makes no sense
   Jesus washed their feet
      and demonstrated serving each other ..
           
      ridiculous

..

we are in the very midst of a challenge to be distant
   to create a border
   to shield ourselves
   to stand apart
..
while the Lover of our souls calls us to share
   to reach each other in love
   to move towards
   to walk into
   to deliver our bodies into his care
   to be the salt and bring the light

regard for our neighbours stands as the outstanding commandment
along with loving our God

so then      in this time of walking away and standing back and turning to the left and the right
let us instead cross the street
   bind the wounds of the wounded
   feed the hungry
   clothe the naked
   offer relief to the poor
      friendship to the disengaged and the distanced
      encouragement to the downhearted
      hope to the defeated
      promise to those that live in the dark
         knowing that our God is solid good to keep promises
            .. wait for it

for when we look to God for help
God is looking directly back at us in expectation
   that we be the ear that hears the call
      the hands that give help
      the mouth that speaks encouraging truth
      the feet that walk towards the hurting
      the heart that burns for their neighbour's wellbeing
..

sometimes we worry that people will not see God and know Jesus unless we challenge them from the scriptures
but the Presence of our God is in us and speaks boldly through our loving intentional movement towards others
   perhaps moreso than our preaching
      perhaps      sometimes the letter kills while the spirit brings life
let us then not grow weary in doing good

" share each other's burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ
if you think yourself too important for that you're deceiving yourself
   test yourself and see      you stand responsible to yourself in it ..
..
we sow what we reap 
   so then, let's not tire of doing the good
      we will see a harvest in good time ..
whenever we have opportunity to do good, do good! to everyone!
   particularly those in our own Faithcommunity "      (as per Paul)

what better opportunity to demonstrate the love of God in Jesus
   than now
   right now
find a way to be used
one person is not too few
one person is enough
be the one person

may the love of our God
and the grace of Jesus, our Lord Christ
and the intimate embrace of our holy spirit of God
be ours
as we move forward
   with
into this unknown
   hand in hand

peace to you

Your virus ..

Lord Christ
to whom every knee will soon bend    in love
to whom every tongue will readily confess you as Lord in their native voice

teach us to ..       wait, you did ..
help us to have your attitude of unity    in love
to be moved to treat others better than we treat ourselves

may we carry in the forefront of our heart's mind your move towards us
   by emptying yourself
      taking the form of a slave and becoming flesh
   humbling yourself
      even to the place of death
         even to the place of cross-death
            for us

may we too look for ways to empty ourselves in the direction of others    in love

help me then
to be watchful
to discern
to listen for your voice
to be wanting always to obey
to move    recognizing your ever-present presence
to reach out
to welcome
to touch
to embrace

to encourage
to come alongside
to compassion
to heal
to speak loving-kindness
to challenge wicked intention
to stand against injustice
to stand for righteousness
to walk with       through

You as my strength
my energy
my presence
my intention
my motivation
my vision
my eyes
my ears
my tongue
my feet
my hands
my heart
my mind
my resource
my source

to be used
for reconciliation
for peace
for provision
for light
for goodness
for relief
for comfort
for encouragement
for unity

as a basin
as a weathervane
as a recliner
as a peaceful space
as a loaf of bread
as a pleasing aroma
as a rock
as a rainbow
as a stroll along a wooded path
as a fragrant flower in full bloom
as a walk on the water
as a healing touch
as a pleasant memory
as a ray of sunshine
as a mouthful of cool water
as a shade tree
as a bed of thick grass
as a sky of shape-shifting clouds
as a bird call
as a sign of your promises and your power to carry them out
as a touchstone for your faithfulness in every kind of trial
as a river for immersion into a pure heart
as a reminder of your unsurpassable and indescribable and
   unfathomable love    vulnerably displayed on the cross
as a path leading Your Way
as a window open to new life
as a fresh breeze of your spirit as you come and go in ways we may yet learn
   always flavored with love

wash my heart's hands
sanitize the mind of me
distance me from evil
create a space between me and
   violence
   judgmentalism
   blame
   estrangement
   manipulation
   chaos
   hurtful words
   abuse
   anger
   hatred
   prejudice
   idolatry

renew my spirit
refresh my soul
   as I look ardently for you in the face of that one and this one
   and her and him

open my heart's arms to embrace the You i see in them
   the me I see in them
   the them I see in me
   You

move me out of private space into their space
including them
   in my time
   in my focus
   in my energy
   in my praying
   in my living
      and my moving
      and my having my being

may I be your virus
   infecting people everywhere with your love
   passing on kindness
      and gentleness
      and gratitude
      and joy
      and mercy
      and peace
      and patience
      and trust
      and hope
         gracefullly
            your love rising in them like sap in its season
            producing verdant foliage and every kind of good fruit

and may the whole world be overfilled with the presence of You, filling everything everywhere with your goodness through the grace of our Lord Christ, Jesus

we appeal to You through him the Frontrunner and Fullfiller of our faith

i saw God today ..

i saw God today
she was walking upstreet with a bag of donated food
   and now God could eat

i saw God sitting on a step in the sun
talking

and as God ate God told the dreadful story of being cheated out of the place They had paid for
and now the lights were off and the water stopped running
and God was looking for a bathroom before walking back
to wherever she would go

" do you know where i can find a bathroom?
they'll arrest me for exposure if i go in a public place, you know "  ..
..

i saw God limping today
her face twisted painfully with each right-step
a sick-looking bruise bleeding ugly pus above her knee where she fell in the road
heading for ER right after the food bag
limping ..
and God gave her a walking stick he found God-only-knows-where

" is there anything besides this?
i don't eat pork
   for religious reasons, you understaand "
      God said
and someone witfully posed " are you a Jew then ? "
   ducking artfully in pretense against his
   jabbing muslim glance
..


i wonder what God thought about our venture into the street today
bags of bbq and chips
squatting on the steps of the lawoffice
discussing viruses and God and the madness to come

as God vociferously swore at his unseen attacker
   walking violently upstreet
   swinging his arms in anger

and a couple walk up smiling thanks for the bag
shaking hands in rebellion
smiling
and promising to come again
..

i saw God carry a box of leftover goodies across the street for suppertime when God would eat at Sally's place
.. poor Sally .. she's tired, but she's going strong
      rebel in the face of despair
.. and God smiles, and pulls up a weary chair

i saw God give his bbq sandwich to another homeless person
   'cause she didn't want to leave her stuff
   to go get her own ..

i saw God mumbling to herself as she walked down the street
pulling her cart full of her life for today
   almost as if there was hope for
   tomorrow ..
   .. almost

.. God was everywhere today
         right in the mix
feeding
   and being fed
talking
   and being spoken to
listening
   and hearing
offering
   and accepting
hurting
   and blessing
tired and dirty and mostly lost at the menacing madness everywhere


perhaps i'll see God again tomorrow ..

i think i'd like that