The Day Christ Died

The Day Christ Died

It was a beautiful spring day with the sun shining bright;
Though in fact the wind should have settled in like a gray shroud.
The temple shone glorious, the bleating of sacrificial lambs hung in the air.
A day of infamy, a day of triumph, it was to be.

The list of characters against the one who “claimed” to be the Lord,
Reads like a psychological thriller-
Three weak men, involved in a pissing contest of power-
Pilate, the Procurator of Palestine, Herod Antipas, the king of Galilee, Caiphas, the High Priest.

Judicial faces contorted in anger,
“Convict him”; that is all that’s in their minds.
No need for witnesses to plead before the Sanhedrin,
No clamoring of crowds who witnessed his miracles.

“Have you nothing to say in your own defense?”
“Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”
“I am”, is Jesus’ simple reply, as he stood alone.
Truth does startle all who hear.

Although Jesus knew the outcome,
His royal purpose is to give testimony to the truth.
Knew the human pain to be endured-
His kingdom’s not a worldly one.

At the mercy of Roman soldiers,
Cruelty for the declared guilty one,
Gave sport to sadistic pleasures of pain-
Beating, mockery- they hide all human pity.

High on the cross he hung for us.
No wine would he drink to ease the pain.
No, he had to feel the fullness of all pain-
It was the Father’s will.

Only we who have ears and heart
Open to His voice
Can grasp that God would send His Son
To redeem the sinful world He loved.

Pierced by the lance, His precious blood and water pour out
To merge into the earthly muck.
How merciful to us this gift to be-
The Holy Lamb of God.