LUMEN CHRISTI

 

Christ our Light!

May the flame burn bright

of my baptismal candle,

flame united with yours.

To oil in my lamp, O Bridegroom,

that is to light a welcome

to your eternal feast,

turn my pain, my fear.

Oil of patience, trust, of love

like yours, Beloved,

may it be that feeds my flame.

When Gloria! we sing,

long-silent bells ring,

black shroud slides off

the great cross we face -

as mine I shall when dark has fled.

O Morning Star that never sets,

when Death’s shadow you lift,

show my cross as the key

to life eternal  lived in thee.

Ah! come to me Jesus,

take me into thy heart

never more from thee to part.

As I ate lunch on April 12, 2022, a temporary bodily affliction without cause overtook me.  It seemed to me that Satan was ratcheting up his daily assaults.  When it was over, I said to Jesus: “Lord, you are allowing Satan to attack me like this because you love me, and love me so much that you trust me not to lose faith in you.”  A spontaneous statement not thought through.  This poem was written two days later.

 © 14 April 2022 by Ruth Heredia

 Photo credit danielkedinger via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

 

Ruth Heredia is the originator and holds the copyright to all material on this blog unless credited to some source. Please do not use it or pass it off as your own work. That is theft. If you wish to link it, quote it, or reprint in whole or in part, please be courteous enough to seek my permission.

GOOD FRIDAY

THE PRIEST

I have trodden the winepress alone;

Of my people there was none with me. ^a

What are these wounds in Thy hands? ^b

I received them in the house of my friend. ^c

Said my Father, smite the Shepherd,

(and the sheep were all scattered) ^d

He who coheres to Me, my Son, the Word. ^e

I have drunk the cup that was poured for me;

I have laid down my life for my sheep. ^f

THE TEMPLE

Open wide the doors now,

- the veil it is rent –

For the One who comes, the Presence, ^g

Anointed of the Lord.

Earth quakes beneath His bloodied feet;

Sun’s face is hidden, angels awestricken;

For who has seen, who shall speak,

That which we beheld?

What men built for glory ^h

Men shall bring down for shame.

THE LAMB

My task is accomplished; ^j

My Blood the ransom pays. ^k

Lost the Ark, Covenant broken;

Behold I make all things new. ^l

Slain to save all, Gentile and Jew,

Raised high, and yet higher, ^m

Who beneath the Cross fell,

My Covenant of Love conquers

The Prince of hell.

NOTES

 ^a Isaiah 63

^b Zechariah 13 

^c Not “from” my friend.  Abraham was God’s friend.  The Pharisees and scribes claimed to be children of Abraham. 

^d Jesus cites at the Last Supper.

^e Consubstantial with the Father.

^f John 10

^g “Shekinah”, the dwelling or presence of the Lord in the Holy of Holies.

^h Herod built for his own glory; the Romans brought it down to humiliate these “people of God”.

^j “Tetelestai” the last cry of Jesus.  Greek for “to accomplish” meaning “I did exactly what I set out to do”, in the perfect tense, “It is forever done.”

^k I Peter 1 

^l Revelation 21 

^m Reference to the prophecies about the Crucifixion, merged with a reminder of Philippians 2.

© 2022 by Ruth Heredia

 

 

Ruth Heredia is the originator and holds the copyright to all material on this blog unless credited to some source. Please do not use it or pass it off as your own work. That is theft. If you wish to link it, quote it, or reprint in whole or in part, please be courteous enough to seek my permission.