Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Gentle Rebuke (Matthew 16:21-28)(Mark 8:27-38)


SO QUICKLY HAD HE SPOKE

IMPULSIVE PETER

SO QUICKLY HAD HE SPOKE

THE WORDS WERE OUT

BEFORE HE HAD TIME TO THINK

BUT OUT OF HIS LOVE FOR HIS FRIEND

AND THE IMPACT

OF THE WORDS HE HAD SAID

I MUST GO TO JERUSALEM AND DIE



HE PUT HIS ARM AROUND JESUS

AND DREW HIM TO HIMSELF

SHELTERING

AND SAID

IT MUST NOT BE



AND JESUS HEARTBROKEN

BECAUSE PETER

STILL

WAS UNAWARE OF HIS MISSION

SAID SOFTLY

GET BEHIND ME SATAN



GET BEHIND ME SATAN

ADVICE GIVEN A CHILD BY A PARENT

DON'T STUDY FOR THE MINISTRY

THERE’S NO FUTURE

LONG HOURS

AND LOW WAGES

SHELTERING THE CHILD



OR THOSE

WATCHING BOX CARS

RATTLING ACROSS EUROPE

FILLED WITH HUMANITY

AND SAYING NOTHING



OR PREACHERS

PREACHING BROTHERHOOD

IN A SEGREGATED CHURCH

WHILE LAZARUS

WAS UNDER THE TABLE

BEGGING CRUMBS



OR WORKMEN

AFTER YEARS OF SERVICE

FINDING NO PENSION

WHILE CEOS MAKE MILLIONS

WHERE IS THE CRY FOR JUSTICE

MUTED BY THOSE WHO HAVE



AND JESUS SAYS

GET BEHIND ME SATAN

UNLESS A MAN

IS WILLING TO TAKE A STAND

AND SUFFER WITH ME

HE IS NOT WORTHY OF ME



JESUS SAYS

GIVE ME PEOPLE

LIKE MOTHER TERESA

MAHATMA GANDHI

DIETRICH BONHOEFFER

DOROTHY DAY

DANIEL BERRIGAN

JOHN XXIII



TAKE YOUR ARM FROM AROUND ME

I AM NOT A TOY

OR PRETTY FEELING

TO BE SHELTERED FROM THE STORM



I KNOW YOU LOVE ME

BUT YOUR ARM AROUND ME HINDERS ME

I NEED TO STRETCH

MY ARMS OUT

FOR THE CROSS

I AM YOUR FRIEND

WHO DOES NOT SHIRK

FROM EMPTYING HIMSELF

AND DYING ON A CROSS





FRANK A VOLLMER

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