A Poem a Sunday

Reign of Christ

November 20, 2016

Commentary:  Tyrants reigned at the time of Christ and he overcame them with forgiveness and grace.  Christ stood in solidarity with the marginalized to the end.  So what will the Church do in the face of our newly elected tyrant?  Silence is no option.

St. Luke 23:33-43 - NRSV

33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus[a] there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”]][b] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah[c] of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, [d] “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding[e] him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? [f] Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into[g] your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Footnotes:

Luke 23:33 Gk him

Luke 23:34 Other ancient authorities lack the sentence Then Jesus . . . what they are doing

Luke 23:35 Or the Christ

Luke 23:38 Other ancient authorities add written in Greek and Latin and Hebrew (that is, Aramaic)

Luke 23:39 Or blaspheming

Luke 23:39 Or the Christ

Luke 23:42 Other ancient authorities read in

A Poem a Sunday

Reign of Christ – Year C

Father Forgive

Father forgive the national hurt

inflicted

by a candidate

who

reached

into

the

core

of the

heart

and

struck

its

primal

fears:

survival,

build a wall,

blame the Other.

Father forgive

the educated elite

for deaf ears

to the cries

of rural lives

in Appalachian ghettos.

Father forgive

those who did not vote

-- indifference

means death

and a system

bereft of reason.

Father forgive

the gloating Right

who abandoned

the rights

of Blacks,

Gays,

Women,

Immigrants,

Disabled,

and the Press.

Father forgive

our ingratitude

so we may begin to live

diverse in freedom

and the dream

of Shalom.

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