Sunday, April 5, 2015

Again

It was Easter again, for the
hundred-eighty-leventh time.

Cut flowers were hung
on the cross with care,
by old and young alike,
creating a rainbow of color
to cover the trio of deep
crimson stains long-dried.

The trumpeter trumped
to the choir's anthem,
hitting notes gorgeous enough
to raise the dead all by themselves.

As the congregation waits
with bated ears for the familiar tale,
holding their breath
for the punch line to come,

"Wait for it! Wait for it!"
the preacher stops short,
leaving us hanging at Mark 16:8;

vulnerable as the three women,
naked as the crucified,
headed to church on Easter
with nothing more than flimsy dreams;

almost citizen-arrested
and returned home
of our own volition
when the stone's shadow 
crosses the road in front of us.

No real explanation
for why we continue;
nothing more than one foot
in front of the other,
sinking into our own death march.



As the sermon unfolds,
a single wasp wafts in,
circling the flower-laden cross
like a grim reaper on the prowl.

Flitting from one petal to another,
occasionally zipping up
to the lilies on the chancel,

the winged dementor's uneasiness
grows as we are pulled
into the story, broken dream
by broken hearts,
hoped toward the empty tomb
by a love willing to stop at nothing,
cried toward resurrection
by grace that will not be denied.

Who knew that Easter’s truth
lay so close, so intertwined,
with the daily struggle
of our own ordinary lives?

Only Christ, and Christ died for us,
Christ was raised for us,
Christ prays for us.

Because you live, O Christ,
the rainbow of Your peace
will span creation,
the colors of Your love
will draw all humankind to adoration.
("Because You Live, O Christ" 
by Shirley Erena Murray, PH 105)


© 2015 Todd Jenkins

2 comments:

  1. Stunning! Especially this tasty nugget:

    "we are pulled
    into the story, broken dream
    by broken hearts,
    hoped toward the empty tomb
    by a love willing to stop at nothing,
    cried toward resurrection
    by grace that will not be denied."

    Thanks, Todd!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Becky. It really was an inspiring sermon, and I thoroughly enjoyed being on the congregational side of Easter for the first time in 25 years.

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