A-Poem-a-Day Until Resurrection Day
 |
| Image credit: quoteson.net |
BETTER FOR HIM HAD HE NOT BEEN BORN
“…But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man!
It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Matt 26:24b (NIV)
He controlled the money bag
dipped into the money bag
dipped with Jesus at table
mingled with Him
chewed the fat
as they roasted fish
along the shore of the Galilee
Judas watched Him heal
the blind and lame
even raise the dead
was there when He fed
hungry multitudes
calmed a raging squall
and walked billow to billow
upon the storm-tossed sea
He heard Him teach
beatitudes, parables
even how to pray
observed His tenderness
as children climbed
upon His lap
observed His mercy
to those who sinned much
The day Mary anointed Jesus’ feet
with extravagant nard
and dried them
with her unpinned hair
it was he who complained
the perfume should have been sold
the money given to the poor—
yes, it was he, holder
of the purse strings
When this same apostle agreed
to betray his master
for a handful of silver
did he think
the Miracle Worker
would somehow slip away
unscathed, as He had
the day He was driven
out of the synagogue
by an angry mob
intent on throwing Him
off a cliff
Woe to the mercenary
betrayer of the Son of Man
…Mammon had always been
his greater god
Their final evening
at the Paschal meal
the Master stooped
to wash filth
from His betrayer’s feet
Judas partook of the Bread
drank of the Wine
and when Jesus dipped a morsel
and gave it to him
from His very own hand
the taker took that, too
Later, in the garden
following Jesus’ great travail
Judas approached Him
with armed cohorts
called Him, “Rabbi”
kissed his face
still damp with blood and sweat
as the Rabbi called him, “Friend”
The word echoed
echoed, echoed
in thunderous
heartbeats
till he flung
the tarnished coins
through temple doors
till he tied
a ragged noose around his neck
and hanged his wretched self
from a jutting twisted limb
Maude Carolan
No comments:
Post a Comment