Carved

We carved a road through knowledge
into the land of death,
but Christ that road has hallowed
and blessed it with his steps.

We wrought it with temptation;
we plucked it from the tree,
but Christ has walked that highway
like dry land through the sea.

We should not have been mortal—
would not, had we not sinned.
We opened up that portal,
but Christ has entered in.

Our flesh was meant for heaven,
as all the wondrous earth.
Christ, knit with his creation,
draws heaven to the dirt.

So all the earth he's drawing;
he's dragging us on high—
we clutch his muddly garment—
right through the needle's eye.

And all that we have ruined
in him will be restored.
The road through death is new-made,
and Christ shall bear us forward.

By Michelangelo – http://www.heiligenlexikon.de/Fotos/Eva2.jpgTransferred from de.wikipedia to Commons by Roberta F. using CommonsHelper., 9 September 2007 (original upload date), Original uploader was Nitramtrebla at de.wikipedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7556462

Adam Lay Imprisoned

Riffing on “Adam Lay Ybounden“:

Adam lay imprisoned,
captive held, and bound,
and we are held there with him
'til mercy may be found.

Bound to recall betrayal—
his own and Eve's that day;
bound to the death of Abel—
he cannot look away.

Bound to see us repeat it
each generation since.
Bound to the loss of Eden;
bound to lose all his sons

'til one shall come unbinding,
come breaking all the chains,
'til one whose light comes blinding
shall touch the heart of Cain.

And all who weep with Adam,
and all who tasted death
shall rise from deep in shadow,
shall taste of heaven's bread.

And all whose chains are broken
mourn Adam's choice no more
for heaven's gates stand open
now and forevermore.

By Anonymous 15th Century scribe, digitised by the British Library – http://www.headlesschicken.ca/eng204/texts/images/Sloane2593.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12139575

For You Love Us As You Love Him

“Then the Creator of all gave me his command,

and my Creator chose the spot for my tent.

He said, ‘In Jacob make your dwelling,

in Israel your inheritance.’

Before all ages, from the beginning, he created me,

and through all ages I shall not cease to be.

In the holy tent I ministered before him,

and so I was established in Zion.

In the city he loves as he loves me, he gave me rest;

in Jerusalem, my domain.

I struck root among the glorious people,

in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.”
Sirach 24:8-12

Tell me, Father of creation,
why you sent your son to earth,
but to bless our ruination
with the wonder of his birth?
For you love us as you love him,
love your own begotten son,
and you draw us in to join him
in your living three-in-one.

Leave me, Christ; I am not worthy,
in the rancor of my sins,
not of heaven but too earthly
for your life to dwell within.
Yet you stoop down even lower,
like a harrow in my soil,
dig yourself into the marrow
of the darkness of my soul.

Draw me upward, Holy Spirit,
where my savior reigns above,
in the glory he inherits
in the kingdom built of love.
As he dwells within my body,
draw me deep into your life,
that with Jesus and the Father
I may live with you on high.

Depiction of Trinity from Saint Denis Basilica in Paris (12th century) By Rebecca Kennison – This file has been extracted from another file, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1565468

From North They Come

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.”
Luke 13:22-30

From north they come and south they come,
from west they come and east,
to enter that eternal home
where Jesus keeps the feast.

The gate is small, the way is long,
and who shall enter there?
'Tis not the rich, 'tis not the strong,
but one who kneels in prayer,

who sits and listens at his feet
or seeks him in the night
and in each stranger that they meet:
All these will dwell with Christ.

The way is long, the gate is small,
and weary they may grow,
but on his mercy they will call,
who come his love to know.

O Christ, let me be one of them
who knows not just your name,
but reaches out to touch your hem
and bows to pass the gate,

who does not rest on wealth or strength
or even what I've done,
but ever seeks to see your face
until you bring me home.

A church portal relief in Dortmund referencing Jesus’s use of “camel through the eye of a needle” aphorism. By Mathias Bigge – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2783562

And Spoke With Love

For Easter season (and today, Divine Mercy Sunday), to the tune LAND OF REST (“I Come With Joy To Meet My Lord”):

We turned from you, O living Lord,
and lost ourselves instead,
yet if you will but say the word,
we, too, rise from the dead.

Though Peter his own faith denied
and wept to feel his shame,
you asked him for his love three times
and spoke with love his name.

Though Thomas spurned what he was told,
you blessed him all the same:
your wounded hands to him you showed
and spoke with love his name.

Though Mary could not recognize
the one she'd come to claim,
you opened up her tearful eyes
and spoke with love her name.

Then speak our names, O living Lord,
and call us from our death.
Created by the spoken word,
we rise upon your breath.