I came forth from God
Who anointed me to bring Good News-
God is ever faithful.

Flesh conceived in Mary
I grew in wisdom and grace
Reveling in God.

Locust-eating John
Introduced me to God’s love-
“You are my Beloved.”

Fishermen gathered,
I preached to tax collectors, whores-
Sinners one and all.

I let them all know
That they too are God’s beloved,
Drenched in God’s love.

Speaking parables
I taught them about God and
All created wonders.

My dense disciples
Never got what I was teaching
Until I arose.

I healed the hurting
Even on the Sabbath day.
They rejoiced in love.

The blind saw anew
The deaf once again heard words-
Good News set them free.

The lowly donkey
Brought me into Jerusalem
In triumphant splendor.

The Romans and some Jews
Took exception to my talk
About God’s mercy.

A few days later,
I was hanging on a wood cross-
A state enemy.

I proclaimed a new way
Of living only for God’s truth
The Kingdom of Love.

I challenged Empire
And dared preach of God’s justice
For widows, orphans.

They hung me on wood
Like a common criminal
Naked on a cross.

As I suffocated
Slowly to a painful death
I cried out to God.

I felt alienated,
“My God, my God, why have you
Now forsaken me?”

Rejecting violence,
I absorbed it in abandon
To God’s mercy.

And on the third day
God raised me up to new life
And death was destroyed.

Now I am living
In those who follow the Way-
Living God’s loving.

© J. Patrick Mahon, 2014