A HOLY WEEK MEDITATION

BY

FRANK A VOLLMER

DOVES

HE WOULDN’T HURT THE DOVES

HE TOLD THEIR SELLERS

TO TAKE THEM FROM THE TEMPLE

THE BEASTS

USED TO ROUGH TREATMENT

HE DROVE FROM THE TEMPLE

ALONG WITH THEIR SELLERS

AND THE MONEY CHANGERS

BUT HE WOULDN’T HURT THE BIRDS

YOU HAVE MADE MY FATHER’S HOUSE

A SLAUGHTER HOUSE

A PLACE TO EXTORT THE POOR

KEEPING THE PRICE OF SACRIFICE HIGH

NO ALLOWANCE FOR THE WIDOW

OR THE WIDOWS MITE

BUT I AM TIRED OF YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS

THE SMOKE OF WHICH

NO LONGER PLEASES ME

IT’S JUST RITUAL

WITHOUT SUBSTANCE

BUYING GOD WITH A BURNING COW

I HAVE COME TO END SACRIFICES

WITH ONE GREAT SACRIFICE

MINE

TEAR DOWN THIS TEMPLE

AND I WILL REBUILD IT

IN THREE DAYS

WITH FLESH AND BLOOD

TEAR DOWN THIS TEMPLE

AND OLD WAYS CEASE

THE LAW IS LIFELESS AND COLD

BUT GOD’S LOVE IS WARM

THE KISS

I THINK IT WAS THE KISS THAT BROKE HIS HEART

NO MATTER WHAT ELSE WAS DONE TO HIM

THAT NIGHT AND NEXT DAY

NOTHING COULD MATCH THE FRIENDSHIP SIGN

AND GREETING

HAIL RABBI

PERHAPS THAT'S WHY HE STOOD SO SILENT

IN FRONT OF PILATE

EMPTY

TOO HURT FOR WORDS

OR TO EVEN CARE

THREE YEARS HE'D KNOWN THE MAN

HAD ATE WITH HIM LAUGHED WITH HIM

SHARED CONFIDENCES AND MEMORIES

HAD THOUGHT HE HAD A FRIEND

PETER JAMES JOHN THE REST WOULD RUN AWAY

THEY WERE AFRAID

HE COULD UNDERSTAND FEAR

HE WAS AFRAID HIMSELF NOW

HIS BODY WAS WET WITH NERVOUS SWEAT

HIS MIND STILL ECHOED HIS WORDS

OH GOD LET IT PASS LET IT PASS

IF JUDAS HADN'T KISSED HIM FOR A PRICE

HE MIGHT HAVE DONE IT BETTER

BUT THE KISS TOOK THE HEART FROM HIM

SO THAT HE STOOD EMPTY SILENT HEART GONE OUT

LIKE A LAMB BEING LED TO SLAUGHTER

CRUCIFIXION

HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE

THE TRUTH BE TOLD

HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE

BUT THERE HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

AGAINST THE NOON DAY SKY

LIKE CARRION EATERS THEY CAME

TO SIT UPON THE LAWN AND WATCH

HOW SUCH A MAN WOULD DIE

NO MAN WHO HAS EVER CALLED ANOTHER…FRIEND

OR HELD A LOVER'S HAND

OR FELT THE PULL OF FALLING STAR

OR HEARD A ROBIN SING

NO MAN WHO HAS EVER BEEN IN LOVE

OR BOUNCED A BABY ON HIS KNEE

REALLY WANTS TO DIE

BUT THERE HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

AGAINST A DARKENING SKY

HIS NEED FOR LOVE SO GREAT HE CRIED

I THIRST

THEY WONDERED WHY

AS HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

AGAINST A NIGHT BLACK SKY

THE VULTURES JUST STOOD AROUND

WAITING FOR HIM TO DIE

HE FELT THE COLDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS

AND CRIED TO HIS FATHER … WHY

ALL HIS PENT UP PASSION SURGING

HE CRIED TO HIS FATHER …WHY

AS HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

FOR LOVE OF YOU AND I

PIETA

COME SOFTLY TO MY BOSOM NOW

YOUR JOURNEY DONE

YOUR KINGDOM COME

COME SOFTLY TO MY BOSOM NOW

COME REST YOUR HEAD WHERE ONCE YOU LAID IT

FRIGHTENED BY A MIDNIGHT DREAM

COME REST YOUR HEAD AGAIN MY SON

OH LET US BE LET US BE

ALONE IN EACH OTHERS COMPANY

THAT I MIGHT IN PLACE OF BLOODY FACE

REMEMBER MY CHILD OF GRACE

IN PLACE OF PIERCED HANDS LET ME SEE

THOSE THAT FLOWERS PICKED FOR ME

AND FEET THAT A THOUSAND ERRANDS RAN

OH LET US BE

COME SOFTLY TO MY BOSOM SON

EASTER

SHYLY

LIKE A BASHFUL LOVER

HE ROSE

NO TRUMPET BLAST

OR EARTHQUAKE SHOCK

QUIET

A WISP OF A MORNING BREEZE

A SCENT OF FLOWERS

MORNING DEW AND BIRDCALLS

A SUDDEN SENSE OF WARMTH

A QUIET COMING

ONE THAT DOES NOT SAY YOU WILL

BUT WILL YOU

HOW GODLIKE IN AN UNGODLIKE WAY

FOR HIM TO TAKE THE MORNING AIR

GOING TO MEET HIS MOTHER