Acts 2: 14-33; Psalm 16: 1-11; Matthew 28: 8-15

an empty tomb
death to life
we let go
of our fear
and live
in the Holy Spirit
taking counsel
from this
presence
freed from
the bondage
of sin
and suffering
and death
we rejoice
and go forth
and live
this good news
in God
is all of our hope
we take refuge there

How do you experience this good news?
Where do you take refuge?

EASTER MORNING
AT THE TOMB

you are the one
he loved
at the empty tomb
shroud fallen
your heart
awakened
by belief
for love has risen
beyond this time
beyond this place
stone rolled away
His freedom soars
from boundaries
and we begin
anew
love reborn
into eternal
moments
He is known
He is seen
everywhere
each heart
His own
His heart
our own
the empty tomb
answers all
for what God
has given
cannot be put
to death
you are the one
he loves
and death is
no more

AT THE TOMB

you are the one he loved
at the empty tomb
shroud fallen
your heart awakened by belief
for love has risen
beyond this time
beyond this place
stone rolled away
his freedom soars
from boundaries
and we begin anew
love reborn
into eternal moments
He is known
He is seen
everywhere
each heart His own
His heart our own
the empty tomb answers all
for what God has given
cannot be put to death
you are the one he loves
and death is no more

Gen : 1-1.1;Gen 1. 1-18;Exod 14.15-15.1; Isa 54 5-13;Isa 55.1-11;Ba3:9-15
Ba 3.32-4.4; Ezek 36.16-28; Romans 6: 3-11; Luke 24. 1-12

in our sorrow
we come to remember
who we are
made in goodness
made for goodness
we remember
the voice of God
whose desire is mercy
not sacrifice
who would save a son
and part the seas
whose enduring love
quenches
our desert thirst
from wisdom’s fountain
we remember
we are made
from eternal life
and light
entering
the darkness of His death
we arise anew
as sea of death
is parted
new heart
new spirit
we no longer seek
the living
among the dead
we live
as the one He loved

Do you remember who you are?
Have you risen with His love?

Before the Vigil

this day
of emptiness
confusion
and longing
His agony
turned
our own
no longer
to hear His voice
feel His touch
follow His step
where has love gone?

He was our Life
our hope
our light
our answer
and now
we are lost
who are we now?

our hearts on fire
with grief
who will
console us
there are no words
for this
our sorrow

to see Him
broken
bleeding
we cry
my God
why have you
forsaken us

this day
this Life
without Him
we cannot bear
day of poverty
when we are nothing
we have nothing
filled
with emptiness
for we have seen
all Love
and now
He is gone

wrapped in His tomb
embraced in darkness
we have died with him
no light
no thought
of life

Have you felt forsaken by God?

In the hours after I see her with others…
the busyness around her
she is gracious, she is strong…
for others, for him,
a few tears, a few memories…
but she is numb,
she is disbelief—
her real suffering comes
in the night of Mary
when she is alone
after the last good bye
the door closes
and the silence presses on her ears
then she faces the long, dark night
the mirror of her emptiness
her terror and fear,
then the torturous memories come
the sounds
the echoing of nails
pounding and pounding and pounding
his hands, his feet
crowds jeering and pushing
the shouting “crucify”

then she cries out to her angels
then she cries out to her God
who had promised so much love
and has delivered death

in the dark
in the silence
there is the deep deep suffering
in the night of Mary
far from the crowds,
their gaze
their speech
then she takes all the things
and ponders them in her heart
I see her stare
I hear her moan
I hear her wail
I see her rocking
hugging her own being
for comfort
I hear her sing his lullabies

a drift into sleep
nightmares come
the relief of waking
then the sting of remembering
creeping through her body
the pain again into the marrow of her bones
over and over the pounding nails
the jeering crowds
his hanging body’
his blood
filled with the horror
she could not stop
his flesh and blood
ripped apart
broken open
she drinks the secret cup of sorrow
over and over and over

she feels the weight
of his death on her
tries to caress it from his face
tries to breathe her life into him
tries to encircle him in her body
bring him back into her womb
to bring him new life

but she cannot…
she is spent and
I see her curl into her own embryo
then I see her angels come
they surround her in a womb of light
and take her to their sleep.

you are the one He loved
kneeling at His cross
you see Him broken and bleeding
and you know it is for you-
even as you recoil at the thought
a suffering servant holds your mind-
what power has this to save-
heart stricken in grief and question
you ask, “what have they done to love?”

forsaken words cry out from thirsting lips
the plea of every suffering
my God, my God why have you forsaken me?
yet one so near can hear the whispers
and knows forgiveness comes to ignorance
and paradise receives in such as this
mercy is born to you
the one He loved

Good Friday morning

you are the one He loved
at break of day
yet all of last night’s laughter
and sharing
closeness and oneness are gone
clouds of betrayal gather
love has been bound
and taken from our sight
fear grips our heart
as we remember His words
the Son of Man must suffer and die
the prophet knew His time
and gives Himself without violence
for mercy’s sake
but we
what are we to do?
what are we to think?
where are we to go?

What have they done to love?

Exodus 12:1-8; 11-14; Psalm 116:12-18; 1Cor 11:23-26; John 13:1-15

Holy Thursday
At the Table

you are the one he loved
gathered in you followed
gathered round you shared
reclined at table you heard His voice
felt His breath
shared His laughter
received His touch
holding onto every word
you will remember
His cup
His heart
His wine
His love
He is every meal your nourishment
every meal your sustenance
all the miles walked upon this earth in time
are changed within His hands
each step renewed with His sacred touch
worn upon your feet he cleansed
to serve
to heal
to love

You are the one He loves.

Isaiah 50: 4-9; Psalm 69: 8-10; 21-22, 31-34; Matthew 26: 19-25

morning
after
morning
He opens
our ears
that we
may hear 
and not be lead astray
or desert Him
in time
of need
for He
has been
our help
in weakness
thirst and
broken-heartedness
constant companion
living
and being
with Him
we are revived
we sing
a song
of life
and praise
in Him

Do you feel God’s constant presence?
How do you stay faithful?