though he fall he shall stand, for we will make it so

the figurehead
the head of a figure
hung in mocking steel

lifeless wood

on wood

 

the body broken
broken again
and again

struck twice
many times

 

crisis crossified
for our convenience
for our pleasure
to give us our wants

to fill our desires

 

the body
made up
of fleshly flesh
declared by us to be God…

 

and that which stands under
lifts itself up

 

abundant poverty
displayed in robes of gold
the promise of divine protection
from behind bulletproof glass

 

the open night sky

the once weary head
now obscured from heavens gaze
which stain glass and steeple
forcefully forbid

 

the guards that took the first away
now protect the second

we honour the God of man
risen of man

by man

for man

the truth…

of the people, by the people, for the people

 

but it is our doing
we made it so
it is not over there somewhere

far away

where we never go
no, it is over here amongst us
the devout

 

we who will not hear the voice
we who refuse to listen
to this day we do so still

 

how can we do any other?
for it is unapproachable

and booms in silent thunder

confounding all our ways
it whispers and strikes like rolling lightning
with darkness shining through
it speaks foreboding mysteries
unrepeatable tales
confusing  and disturbing dark sayings
secret things that we cannot bare

 

but he will be resurrected…
again
and again

we shall do it
we ourselves will make our faith sure

and he shall stand

again

and again

 

the pope…

(for there are many)
whose scandals
we are not worthy to untie

 

he was murdered for this

He went about doing good and healing all who were under heavy pressure from negative, evil circumstance.   As he went along amazing things seemed to happen around him.  It was clear that a force much more powerful than himself, the words he spoke, or the deeds he did was tangibly present with him.   Lives were marvelously changed as he made contact with all manner of people and as a consequence they sought him out and followed him virtually wherever he went.   They thronged around and asked him questions and he graciously spoke back to them in response.   He taught them what the sacred texts had hidden in them, presented a revolutionary, fresh angle on ancient truth and opened the eyes of the blind.   He demonstrated by way of his own lifestyle, a way of life that had never been seen before.   As a result lame legs were restored, withered arms were straightened and for the first time enabled to reach out and touch, caress and even heal.

Other than the twelve he officially called to be his personal disciples, to leave their homes and families and to walk with him he never asked anyone else to join him or follow him as he walked.   He never developed unrealistic expectations in the hearts and minds of those who met him and instead seemed rather to make it more difficult for them to follow him than that which first was apparent.   He was unpredictable in almost everything he did and when expected to ‘zig’, he ‘zagged.’   He extracted no payment for his service of kindness but often met the needs of the poor instead.   His only charge was for all to honour God and do as he did – to follow his example of giving up his own life for those of his friends.  In fact, he more often than not forbade the recipients of his kindness their passionate request to follow him and even had the emancipated fortitude of wisdom, personal conviction and divine sense of purpose to amongst many other seemingly controversial acts,  inadvertently cause a very wealthy man with all his worldly resources, to turn away from following him by lovingly revealing the great poverty of the mans extreme wealth and success.

He had no personal empire of material or political wealth.   He never drew attention to himself nor promoted his service.  If anything, he underplayed the accolades of the crowd and preferred to call himself the ‘son of man’, a lowly, unpretentious description for someone who performed such incredible feats of miraculous kindness.   He never owned any form of personal transportation nor any building with attractive, socially trendy décor to accommodate the masses who pressed in.   Instead, he chose the dusty footpaths, market places, the homes of often socially inappropriate people, taverns and once a week, the small, traditional religious gathering spots to make contact with people.  He had no permanent roof over his head other than the stars, no place to call his own nor to hang his hat or raise his banner.   He tended more often than not to profoundly offend the established religious order and the prevalent leadership of the day and they too pursued him relentlessly, but for other reasons than respect, admiration and gratitude.

Eventually Jesus was murdered for this, as are any who follow his example and do as he did.