Crucifixion

Crucifixion

The bread and cup
             were passed

Thus, the ordeal began.

    A furtive meeting
           A quiet garden
                  Filled with prayer and anguish

     Sleeping men.

            And, then

      The sounds of rushing men
              intent on duty.

          A kiss
              The strike of a sword

                                And healing.

        Fearful men.

                       Trial
                              Denial
                                       Mockery

A night filled with uncertainty
                  for many
    Though not for 
                          One.

    He is sure of the outcome.
            And the purpose

          Purple robes
                Crown of thorns

         Cross to bear.

Through the streets
             Jeering crowds

   A contrast to those
         crowds victorious,
                  worshipful,
                         mere days ago.

        And, then,

               Desolation.

           The pain of
                    flesh and spirit torn

            The torment of sin,
              though not His own
                           The agony of this labour.

                     Death brings completion.

               "It is finished."

        Katherine Kavanagh Hoffman  March 27, 2013

Easter Trilogy

Easter Trilogy

1. Palm Sunday

Welcomed as a king.

Royal ride through the gates

Cheering and Homage

        fron the crowd.

"Forgive them Father

            For they know not what they do"

Cloaks and palm branches

    Spread on the road

              In welcome

                       In reverence.

"...save yourself! Come down

     from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"

Hope and Excitement

For the Son of David-

The One who comes in God's name

The One who will save.

"Surely he was the Son of God!"

2. Good Friday

Focus

   on the Darkness of the day-

        No glimmer of the Light to come

Only sorrow.

            And pain.

                      And despair.

How could it be?

How could this happen?

            He is the one....

                      He was the one....

          And yet

               He hangs now from that tree-

                    One among others-

              Stripped and Beaten

   

                    Barely with us anymore.

Soon- He will be gone.

               How can this be?

                   How can this happen?

What of the kingdom

 

         He has promised?

What of the miracles

                          He did?

How could He die?

      He seemed so much more-

                Was He only a man?

       The Darkness of the Day

                    Despair

                                  Uncertainly

                         No glimmer of the Light to come

                   Only women crying

                                          at his feet

                   While mockers scoff

                            and Disciples scatter.

                                       Lost

 

                                    No direction

                                            No focus

                                                  No assurance.

                                    No tomorrow.

 

                    Only the Darkness

                                               of the Day.

3. Easter Sunday

Darkness turned to light

A touch of hope

      And then

             Unadulterated JOY.

The unthinkable has been

                          Thought

The undoable has been 

                                 done

The unreasonable is now

                          Reality.

Darkness turned to light

          By truth

We are not imprisoned

           Any longer

In cells of our own making.

The light has broken through

         Releasing those

               held by Darkness.

A new world begins.

Hope, once scattered

     Is Now Firm

Truth, once uncertain

     Is Now Confirmed

   The Future, once Darkened

   Is now Filled with

       Light

Light that will guide us

     Into a new reality-

 Through the darkness

 Into what was always

      Meant to be.

No more holding back

     For we know what lies ahead.

No more fear of death

    For that blight has been conquered.

    Our hope

        Our truth

            Our future

         Joy-filled with Light.

             Katherine Kavanagh Hoffman