As we travel through this week

 26 March 2024

As we travel through this week, let us remember there can be no Joyous Easter Day without the horror of Good Friday.  Maybe this poem by James K Baxter will speak to us all, of the enormity of Jesus sacrifice and God’s great love.

My love came through the city

And they did not know him

With his beard and his eyes and his gentle hands

For he was a working man

My love stood on the lakeshore

And spoke to the people there

And the fish in the water forgot to swim

And the birds were quiet in the air,

‘Truth’ - he said, and  - ‘Love’ – he said,

But his purest word was - ‘Mercy’ –

And the fishermen left their boats and came

To share his poverty.

My love was taken before the judge

And they nailed him to a tree

With his strong face and his long brown hair

And the whiteness of his body.

‘Truth’ – he said, and ‘Love’ – he said

But his purest word was ‘Mercy’ –

And the blood ran down and the sun grew dark

For the lack of his company.

My love was only a working man

And now he is God on high;

I have left my books and my bed and my house,

To follow him till I die,

‘Truth’ – he said, and ‘Love’ – he said,

But his purest word was – ‘Mercy’ –

Flowers and candles I bring to him

And no man is kinder than he.

James K Baxter.