Category: hwsc2018

He’s walking, Jesus walking. Bloody stain
upon the ground. He’s falling, Jesus falls.
& up. He’s walking, falling. Soldier calls
St Simon out of Crowds to help attain

Golgotha’s lofty height. Once more he stalls
But rising rushes on the Masses’ need
To fill and bakers dough to bend and knead
fo serve beneath the cross that crushes all.

We’re walking people walking, souls to lead
Golgotha-ward to Jesus bleeding feet
it’s upwards still and onwards angels beat
their wings in glory as our souls we feed.

If Jesus cross our pathways do maintain
Like him for God our Ego’s greed is slain

Barabbas, Father’s Son, your story’s end
unknown your Genesis unsaid. You mark
at Jesus side the choice twixt life and stark
and nameless death. Are even you a friend?

You saw how Life Himself for you the Dark
Descending brav’d, the raving mob endur’d
the pillory the cross the spear assur’d
that you could freely fly from Pilate’s clark

and yet aren’t you by sacrifice allur’d
a bit? this quiet man who deathward goes
ne’er fending for himself nor pain nor woes
addressing. ‘Til at last your death is cur’d

and does a saintly name your story close
your name unwrit by holy waters’ flows?

Crack Forty times & more the lashes sting
The flesh of God which breaded now we eat
is turned at pillory to bloody meat
as Roman biceps leaded whips make sing

Cut loose exhausted falle he at their feet
awaiting his awakening a game
the Romans play, arranging him the same
as Caesar Mock’d upon a bloody seat

In purple robes & thornèd crown his name
the very name of Love they jeer as hate
& truth Himself is by their lies made wait
his going to the last salvific game

but what for all the world seems cruel fate
is but divinely plotted switch & bait.

To Pilate sent to Herod then and back
A hot political potato pass’d
Unwantedly between them til at last
The cock crow raises dawn which secrets lack

To Pilate sent the final die to cast
Here Jesus stands awaiting human call
alignment with the will divine as all
Things will for those that won’t won’t last

To Pilate sent the Mater’s Plan won’t stall
he’s here at last confirm’d to death. & life
Can see its hope as demons join the strife
Mistak’d that God at last himself shall fall

This Criminal of Love at Dawn’s first crack
From Pilate sent for scourges’ lashing hack

Come Brethren here in darkness let us meet
Transparency and light we can’t abide
The people’s sleeping dreams our secrets hide
this man will stand before our anger’s heat

Aside my friends here comes he now aside!
And say, Reb Jesus, what will you today?
Did not your words blaspheming bend and sway
to shake our people off the Torah’s hide?

Adjure you now I ‘fore these men! Display
if you Messiah be then manfully
declare it here where all may hear in the
be-custom’d way of you to clearly say

one word. If you but dare to claim his seat.
Are you the Christ? The high priest did repeat.

Now Peter, liar, rock, Apostle, friend
Here come I carefully to you: for pot
& kettle are both black. May we be not
by prayer that far each from the other’s end.

The Priceless One betray’d by campfire hot:
Your Galilean drawl just cant. Yet I
like you without a legal threat will try
To hide by options crafty, Christ forgot.

Dear Peter, threats make you our Christ belie.
and watching here in pity & with fear
We hear betrayal as the dawn grows near:
Despair not lest away you trod & die.

Lo e’en the very Church’s rock will bend
Until unfailing grace God to him send.

In lunar brilliancy they walking show
mid leafy branches’ budding scented bloom
& grasses warmed in vernal sun now groom
Gethsemane, in paschal light aglow.

We waiting here, he forward goes for room
To falling, praying, moaning, sighing, bled
To sobbing, straining, weeping, sweating, red
Till far away is heard the tramp of doom

Apostles wake upon their grassy bed
To find the traitor with the temple guards
Is come. And boldly striding cross the yards
Afore Messiah stop’d he smiling said

Hail Master! Teacher surly me you know.
by words and kissing both the nails in go.

He wash’d their feet & now would make them free:
a mundane miracle will here combine.
The God-Man bids that man on God will dine
& unity in daily liturgy

These common building blocks of bread & wine
our Saviour takes into his holy hands
& those, around him sat, his love commands
in mystic rites to make all men divine.

The Apostolic preaching in all lands
will be enliven’d by this bread. God gives
to Church her dancing food. She moves & lives
By sacraments now altar’d by Christ’s hands.

Salt, flour, water, grapes, & yeast we see
yet very flesh & blood of God they be.