TODAY AS YOU KNOW
IS THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
IN TODAY'S GOSPEL
WE HEAR THE PHARISEES
TELL JESUS
THAT HEROD THE RULER
WANTED TO KILL HIM
THEY DID THIS FOR TWO REASONS
FIRST JESUS WAS PREACHING IN GALILEE
WHERE HEROD WAS RULER
AND HE WAS ATTRACTING CROWDS
WITH HIS TEACHINGS
AND HIS TEACHINGS
WERE THREATENING
THE PRIVILEGED POSITION
OF THE PHARISEES
SO THEY WOULD LIKE HIM
TO GO ELSEWHERE
TO GO ANYWHERE AND PREACH
BUT LEAVE THEM ALONE
SECOND THEY HOPED
THAT JESUS WOULD GO TO JERUSALEM
AND GET CAUGHT UP
IN THE POLITICAL INTRIGUE
THAT WAS RAMPANT IN THE CITY
AND AS A RESULT
THE ROMANS WOULD KILL HIM
THE HEROD
THE PHARISEES WERE TALKING ABOUT
WAS THE SAME HEROD
THAT HAD PUT
JOHN THE BAPTIST TO DEATH
SO THE THREAT OF DEATH WAS VERY REAL
BUT JESUS ANSWERS
TELL THAT FOX
THAT I WILL CAST OUT DEMONS
AND WILL HEAL PEOPLE
TODAY
TOMORROW
AND ON THE THIRD DAY
WHICH IS THE HEBREW WAY
OF SAYING
I WILL STAY HERE
UNTIL I ACCOMPLISH MY PURPOSE
IT IS ALMOST AN ECHO
OF LUTHER
SAYING HERE I STAND
I CANNOT BE ELSEWHERE
WHAT JESUS
IS SAYING TO HEROD
AND TO ALL THE HERODS
OF THE WORLD
HERE I STAND
TO BRING SALVATION
YOU CANNOT CHASE ME AWAY
HERE I STAND
LIKE A SIGN
POINTING THE WAY
LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT SIGNS
A WOMAN DRIVES HER CAR
ALONG THE HIGHWAY
SHE SEES THE MANY SIGNS
THAT EDGE OUR ROADS
SCHOOL AHEAD
GO SLOW
THE NEXT CITY - WEST OSSIPEE
THE MILEAGE 12 MILES
LITTLE CAESAR'S PIZZA-PIZZA
SHE SEES WASH
HANGING ON THE LINE
SHE SEES OTHER CARS IN FRONT
OR IN THE CAR MIRROR
OCCASIONALLY
WHEN THE LIGHT IS RIGHT
SHE SEES
HER OWN FACE
REFLECTED IN THE WINDSHIELD
SHE IS DRIVING BY A CLIFF
SET BACK FROM THE ROAD
IT IS A STEEP CLIFF
SO STEEP
THAT WHEN SHE SEES THE SIGN
SHE WONDERS
HOW ANYONE COULD CLIMB
THE CLIFF'S FACE
AND PUT IT THERE
THE SIGN SAYS
JESUS SAVES
WRITTEN IN LARGE CLUMSY LETTERS
WITH WHITE PAINT
THAT TRICKLES DOWN
FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LETTERS
AS IF THE LETTERS
WERE FALLING APART
OR MELTING
OR MAYBE CRYING
THE SIGN SAYS
JESUS SAVES
THAT'S ALL
ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SIGNS
OF THE HIGHWAY
LIKE
RIGHT TURN ONLY
TOLL BOOTH AHEAD
THE SPEED LIMIT
AND DESTINATIONS
ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SIGNS
WAS THIS SIGN
JESUS SAVES
AND THE WOMAN
LIKE MOST OF US
FELT AWKWARD WITH THE SIGN
FELT AN INTERNAL SQUIRM
AT THE MESSAGE
EVEN THOUGH
LIKE MOST OF US
SHE KNEW IT TO BE TRUE
SHE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH THE SIGN
AND ITS' PUBLIC MESSAGE
LIKE SAYING GRACE IN PUBLIC
GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT KIND OF PERSON
MUST HAVE CLIMBED UP THERE
WITH A BUCKET
AND A BRUSH
TO SPLASH THE MESSAGE ON THE CLIFF:
MAYBE MAN
MAYBE WOMAN
MAYBE YOUNG OR OLD
DRUNK OR SOBER
IN DAYLIGHT
OR IN THE DARK
GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT DROVE THE PAINTER
TO PAINT THIS SIGN;
SIN OR REDEMPTION
JOY OR REMORSE
POSSIBLY A DARE
POSSIBLY A PRAYER
WHAT EVER THE REASON
IN OUR STRANGE TIMES
AMONG PEOPLE LIKE US
AMONG PEOPLE JUST LIKE US
AMONG US
THE EFFECT
OF THE MESSAGE ON THE HILLSIDE
THAT JESUS SAVES
MAKES US SQUIRM
AND I THINK
WE SQUIRM
BECAUSE WE ARE EMBARRASSED
AND WE ARE EMBARRASSED
FOR MANY REASONS
EMBARRASSED
PERHAPS
BECAUSE THE WORDS
REMIND US OF OLD TIME RELIGION
OF SHOUT AND HOLLER
OF PULPIT POUNDING
OF GOD'S GONNA GET YOU
WE SQUIRM
BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING
IN THE NAME
JESUS ITSELF
THAT EMBARRASSES US
WHEN IT STANDS
NAKED
AND ALONE
JUST JESUS
BY ITSELF
WITHOUT A TITLE
LIKE A FRIEND'S NAME
IT MAKES US UNCOMFORTABLE
WE WOULD ACCEPT
CHRIST SAVES
THAT'S HIS JOB
BUT JESUS SAVES
AS IN JESUS SAVES FRANK
OR BARBARA OR ALICE
OR JOE OR FRED OR WADE
OR WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS
IS LIKE A LOVER
CARVING HIS
AND HIS LOVED ONE'S NAME
ON A TREE
IT HAS AN AIR ABOUT IT
LIKE A LOVE SONG
MAYBE JESUS SAVES
WRITTEN ON THE CLIFF
IS EMBARRASSING
BECAUSE RELIGION
IN SOME WAYS
HAS BECOME EMBARRASSING
MAYBE OUR WINCING
IS A WAY
TO HIDE OUR EYES
TO STOP UP OUR EARS
BECAUSE WE SOMEHOW KNOW
THAT IF THE MESSAGE GOT THROUGH
IT WOULD SAY DIRECTLY
CLEARLY
UNMISTAKABLY
FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE
THAT WE
YOU AND I
NEED TO BE SAVED
RICH MAN POOR MAN
YOUNG WOMAN OLD WOMAN
EDUCATED
UNLETTERED
RELIGIOUS UNRELIGIOUS
ALL OF US
YOU AND I
ALL OF US
NEED TO BE SAVED
AND THAT
IS OFFENSIVE TO US
FOR WHAT IT SAYS
IS
YOU HAVE NO PEACE
WITHIN YOUR SKIN-
YOU ARE NOT HAPPY
YOU ARE NOT WHOLE
OUR HUMANITY
REACTS AGAINST THE THOUGHT
OUR SELF SUFFICIENT HUMANITY
WHICH CONTINUALLY
WANTS THE APPLE
MORE THAN IT WANTS THE GARDEN
REACTS
AGAINST THE THOUGHT
WHAT FOOL
WOULD CLIMB THAT CLIFF
TO WRITE A MESSAGE
THAT OFFENDS ME
WHAT FOOL DARES
TO GIVE ME SUCH ADVICE
WHAT FOOL DARES
TO QUESTION
MY SELF-SUFFICIENC
IF YOU HAD SAID
GOD SAVES
I COULD ARGUE WITH GOD
BUT YOU SAID
JESUS
AS IF TO SAY
FRIEND
AND I SEE THAT FRIEND
FOR WHAT THE WORLD
HAS MADE HIM
A FOOL
DESPISED AND REJECTED
A LAUGHING STOCK AMONG THE NATIONS
WITH HIS RIDICULOUS SLOGAN
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
AND I AM
EMBARRASSED BY HIM
AND THE SIGN ON THE CLIFF
THE BAD THIEF
THE ONE ON THE LEFT
SAID IN A TAUNT
IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST
SAVE YOURSELF
AND SAVE US
HOW LIKE HIM WE ARE
WHEN OUR LIFE'S ACTIONS
HANG US ON THE LEFT CROSS
WE CRY
SAVE YOURSELF
AND SAVE US
OH WE ARE NOT SORRY FOR YOUR PAIN
BECAUSE WE DO NOT ALWAYS NEED YOU
ONLY WHEN ALL THE APPLES
WE HAVE EATEN FROM THE TREE
MAKE US SICK
THEN WE NEED YOU
SAVE US SAVE US
ME
MORE THAN YOU
SAVE US
BUT THE GOOD THIEF
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT
REBUKED THE BAD THIEF
FOR HIS ARROGANCE
THEN SPOKE
WITH ALMOST THE SAME ARROGANCE
WHEN HE SAID
JESUS REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU COME IN TO YOUR KINGDOM
TWO ARROGANT PETITIONS
BUT FROM DIFFERENT HEARTS
ONE SPOKEN IN ANGER
ONE SPOKEN IN TRUST
AND HOPE
AND TO THE TRUSTING
HOPEFUL HEART
HE SAID
TRULY
TODAY
YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE
I WONDER
WHAT THE GUARDS THOUGHT
WHEN THEY HEARD THIS CONVERSATION
DID IT INTERRUPT THEIR DICE GAME
WERE THEY PERHAPS EMBARRASSED
BY THE GOODNESS
OF THE MAN THEY WERE KILLING
OR DID THEY THINK
THAT THE PAIN
OF THEIR TORTURE
HAD ROBBED HIS MIND OF REASON
HOW COULD THAT ONE
SAVE ANYONE
NAILED TO THE TREE
WITH GOOD STOUT NAILS
WITH THE SIGN ABOVE HIS HEAD
WHICH MOCKED HIM AS KING
THEY'D BEEN WITH HIM
WHEN THEY'D WHIPPED
AND CROWNED HIM
AND THEY HAD HEARD
NEITHER CURSE NOR WHIMPER
NO KING HE
A LAMB MAYBE
QUIET IN HIS SLAUGHTER
BUT NO KING-
HOW RIDICULOUS A DEATH
DYING ON A HILLSIDE
LIKE A NAME
PAINTED ON A CLIFF-
HOW RIDICULOUS A DEATH
DYING ON A HILLSIDE
LIKE A NAME
CARVED ON A TREE BY LOVERS
AND IN THIS NAME
THE NAME OF JESUS
WE ARE EMBARRASSED
WHY?
PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE
WE THINK
THAT WE ARE UNLOVABLE
WE DO NOT DOUBT
THAT GOD CAN SAVE US
BUT WE DO DOUBT
THAT SOMEONE COULD LOVE US
SO MUCH
AS TO DIE FOR US
TO DIE FOR US
NOT FOOLISHLY
BUT FULLY KNOWING
OUR UNWORTHINESS
AND STILL WANTING TO SAVE US
I SUSPECT
THAT THE REAL REASON
WHY THE NAME
JESUS
MAY EMBARRASS US
WHEN IT STANDS NAKED BY ITSELF
IS THAT IT PUTS US
ON A FIRST NAME BASIS
IT REMINDS US
OF OUR OWN NEED FOR SALVATION
OUR OWN NAKEDNESS
OUR OWN NAMES
FOR JESUS HAS COME
TO SAVE D-GUY
SAVE JJ AND PAULA
SAVE THERESA
SAVE MARY
SAVE KAREN AND PETER
SAVE MARCIA
SAVE ALL OF US-
NOT FOR OUR JOBS
NOT FOR OUR TITLES
NOT FOR OUR TITHING
NOT BECAUSE WE ARE RETIRED
OR WORKING
MARRIED
SINGLE OR DIVORCED
NOT FOR ANY REASON
EXCEPT HE LOVES US
HE MADE US
WE ARE THE WORK OF HIS HANDS
AND GOD DOESN'T MAKE JUNK
HE LOVES US
END OF SENTENCE
HE LOVES
US
THE MESSAGE ON THE CLIFFSIDE
CALLS US BY NAME
CALLS ALL OF US BY NAME
IT SAYS
UNCOVER YOUR EYES
OPEN YOUR EARS
I BRING TRUTH AND HOPE
FOR ALL THE NEEDING-TO-BE FILLED
PLACES IN YOUR LIVES
BE LIKE THE GOOD THIEF
AND KNOW THE PAIN OF SURRENDER
THE PAIN OF KNOWING
THE HELPLESSNESS
OF TRYING TO HELP YOURSELF
CALL ON ME
CALL ON ME
LIKE THE GOOD THIEF
CALL ON ME
SAYING
JESUS REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM
REMEMBER ME
REMEMBER ME
REMEMBER ME
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU'
JESUS SAYS I WILL
AND WHETHER IT SEEMS PREPOSTEROUS
IN OUR JUDGMENT
OR EMBARRASSING
THE SAME GOD
THAT SAVED THIEVES
HANGING JUSTLY ON THE CROSS
ALSO SAVES CLOWNS LIKE YOU
AND ME
NOT FOR ANY OTHER REASON
THAN THAT HE LOVES US
SO WHEN
THE PHARISEES SAY TO HIM
LEAVE NOW
BEFORE THEY KILL YOU
HE REPLIES
I WILL STAY FAITHFUL
TO MY TASK
TODAY
TOMORROW
AND THE DAY AFTER
WHICH MEANS
ALWAYS
FURTHER
JESUS SAYS
COME TO MY SHOP
WHERE THERE IS A SIGN
THAT SAYS
JESUS
CARPENTER
MAKER OF EASY YOKES
WE MAKE YOUR BURDEN LIGHT
COME IN
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
LET ME PROVE IT
AND AS WE ENTER
IS THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
IN TODAY'S GOSPEL
WE HEAR THE PHARISEES
TELL JESUS
THAT HEROD THE RULER
WANTED TO KILL HIM
THEY DID THIS FOR TWO REASONS
FIRST JESUS WAS PREACHING IN GALILEE
WHERE HEROD WAS RULER
AND HE WAS ATTRACTING CROWDS
WITH HIS TEACHINGS
AND HIS TEACHINGS
WERE THREATENING
THE PRIVILEGED POSITION
OF THE PHARISEES
SO THEY WOULD LIKE HIM
TO GO ELSEWHERE
TO GO ANYWHERE AND PREACH
BUT LEAVE THEM ALONE
SECOND THEY HOPED
THAT JESUS WOULD GO TO JERUSALEM
AND GET CAUGHT UP
IN THE POLITICAL INTRIGUE
THAT WAS RAMPANT IN THE CITY
AND AS A RESULT
THE ROMANS WOULD KILL HIM
THE HEROD
THE PHARISEES WERE TALKING ABOUT
WAS THE SAME HEROD
THAT HAD PUT
JOHN THE BAPTIST TO DEATH
SO THE THREAT OF DEATH WAS VERY REAL
BUT JESUS ANSWERS
TELL THAT FOX
THAT I WILL CAST OUT DEMONS
AND WILL HEAL PEOPLE
TODAY
TOMORROW
AND ON THE THIRD DAY
WHICH IS THE HEBREW WAY
OF SAYING
I WILL STAY HERE
UNTIL I ACCOMPLISH MY PURPOSE
IT IS ALMOST AN ECHO
OF LUTHER
SAYING HERE I STAND
I CANNOT BE ELSEWHERE
WHAT JESUS
IS SAYING TO HEROD
AND TO ALL THE HERODS
OF THE WORLD
HERE I STAND
TO BRING SALVATION
YOU CANNOT CHASE ME AWAY
HERE I STAND
LIKE A SIGN
POINTING THE WAY
LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT SIGNS
A WOMAN DRIVES HER CAR
ALONG THE HIGHWAY
SHE SEES THE MANY SIGNS
THAT EDGE OUR ROADS
SCHOOL AHEAD
GO SLOW
THE NEXT CITY - WEST OSSIPEE
THE MILEAGE 12 MILES
LITTLE CAESAR'S PIZZA-PIZZA
SHE SEES WASH
HANGING ON THE LINE
SHE SEES OTHER CARS IN FRONT
OR IN THE CAR MIRROR
OCCASIONALLY
WHEN THE LIGHT IS RIGHT
SHE SEES
HER OWN FACE
REFLECTED IN THE WINDSHIELD
SHE IS DRIVING BY A CLIFF
SET BACK FROM THE ROAD
IT IS A STEEP CLIFF
SO STEEP
THAT WHEN SHE SEES THE SIGN
SHE WONDERS
HOW ANYONE COULD CLIMB
THE CLIFF'S FACE
AND PUT IT THERE
THE SIGN SAYS
JESUS SAVES
WRITTEN IN LARGE CLUMSY LETTERS
WITH WHITE PAINT
THAT TRICKLES DOWN
FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LETTERS
AS IF THE LETTERS
WERE FALLING APART
OR MELTING
OR MAYBE CRYING
THE SIGN SAYS
JESUS SAVES
THAT'S ALL
ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SIGNS
OF THE HIGHWAY
LIKE
RIGHT TURN ONLY
TOLL BOOTH AHEAD
THE SPEED LIMIT
AND DESTINATIONS
ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SIGNS
WAS THIS SIGN
JESUS SAVES
AND THE WOMAN
LIKE MOST OF US
FELT AWKWARD WITH THE SIGN
FELT AN INTERNAL SQUIRM
AT THE MESSAGE
EVEN THOUGH
LIKE MOST OF US
SHE KNEW IT TO BE TRUE
SHE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH THE SIGN
AND ITS' PUBLIC MESSAGE
LIKE SAYING GRACE IN PUBLIC
GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT KIND OF PERSON
MUST HAVE CLIMBED UP THERE
WITH A BUCKET
AND A BRUSH
TO SPLASH THE MESSAGE ON THE CLIFF:
MAYBE MAN
MAYBE WOMAN
MAYBE YOUNG OR OLD
DRUNK OR SOBER
IN DAYLIGHT
OR IN THE DARK
GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT DROVE THE PAINTER
TO PAINT THIS SIGN;
SIN OR REDEMPTION
JOY OR REMORSE
POSSIBLY A DARE
POSSIBLY A PRAYER
WHAT EVER THE REASON
IN OUR STRANGE TIMES
AMONG PEOPLE LIKE US
AMONG PEOPLE JUST LIKE US
AMONG US
THE EFFECT
OF THE MESSAGE ON THE HILLSIDE
THAT JESUS SAVES
MAKES US SQUIRM
AND I THINK
WE SQUIRM
BECAUSE WE ARE EMBARRASSED
AND WE ARE EMBARRASSED
FOR MANY REASONS
EMBARRASSED
PERHAPS
BECAUSE THE WORDS
REMIND US OF OLD TIME RELIGION
OF SHOUT AND HOLLER
OF PULPIT POUNDING
OF GOD'S GONNA GET YOU
WE SQUIRM
BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING
IN THE NAME
JESUS ITSELF
THAT EMBARRASSES US
WHEN IT STANDS
NAKED
AND ALONE
JUST JESUS
BY ITSELF
WITHOUT A TITLE
LIKE A FRIEND'S NAME
IT MAKES US UNCOMFORTABLE
WE WOULD ACCEPT
CHRIST SAVES
THAT'S HIS JOB
BUT JESUS SAVES
AS IN JESUS SAVES FRANK
OR BARBARA OR ALICE
OR JOE OR FRED OR WADE
OR WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS
IS LIKE A LOVER
CARVING HIS
AND HIS LOVED ONE'S NAME
ON A TREE
IT HAS AN AIR ABOUT IT
LIKE A LOVE SONG
MAYBE JESUS SAVES
WRITTEN ON THE CLIFF
IS EMBARRASSING
BECAUSE RELIGION
IN SOME WAYS
HAS BECOME EMBARRASSING
MAYBE OUR WINCING
IS A WAY
TO HIDE OUR EYES
TO STOP UP OUR EARS
BECAUSE WE SOMEHOW KNOW
THAT IF THE MESSAGE GOT THROUGH
IT WOULD SAY DIRECTLY
CLEARLY
UNMISTAKABLY
FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE
THAT WE
YOU AND I
NEED TO BE SAVED
RICH MAN POOR MAN
YOUNG WOMAN OLD WOMAN
EDUCATED
UNLETTERED
RELIGIOUS UNRELIGIOUS
ALL OF US
YOU AND I
ALL OF US
NEED TO BE SAVED
AND THAT
IS OFFENSIVE TO US
FOR WHAT IT SAYS
IS
YOU HAVE NO PEACE
WITHIN YOUR SKIN-
YOU ARE NOT HAPPY
YOU ARE NOT WHOLE
OUR HUMANITY
REACTS AGAINST THE THOUGHT
OUR SELF SUFFICIENT HUMANITY
WHICH CONTINUALLY
WANTS THE APPLE
MORE THAN IT WANTS THE GARDEN
REACTS
AGAINST THE THOUGHT
WHAT FOOL
WOULD CLIMB THAT CLIFF
TO WRITE A MESSAGE
THAT OFFENDS ME
WHAT FOOL DARES
TO GIVE ME SUCH ADVICE
WHAT FOOL DARES
TO QUESTION
MY SELF-SUFFICIENC
IF YOU HAD SAID
GOD SAVES
I COULD ARGUE WITH GOD
BUT YOU SAID
JESUS
AS IF TO SAY
FRIEND
AND I SEE THAT FRIEND
FOR WHAT THE WORLD
HAS MADE HIM
A FOOL
DESPISED AND REJECTED
A LAUGHING STOCK AMONG THE NATIONS
WITH HIS RIDICULOUS SLOGAN
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
AND I AM
EMBARRASSED BY HIM
AND THE SIGN ON THE CLIFF
THE BAD THIEF
THE ONE ON THE LEFT
SAID IN A TAUNT
IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST
SAVE YOURSELF
AND SAVE US
HOW LIKE HIM WE ARE
WHEN OUR LIFE'S ACTIONS
HANG US ON THE LEFT CROSS
WE CRY
SAVE YOURSELF
AND SAVE US
OH WE ARE NOT SORRY FOR YOUR PAIN
BECAUSE WE DO NOT ALWAYS NEED YOU
ONLY WHEN ALL THE APPLES
WE HAVE EATEN FROM THE TREE
MAKE US SICK
THEN WE NEED YOU
SAVE US SAVE US
ME
MORE THAN YOU
SAVE US
BUT THE GOOD THIEF
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT
REBUKED THE BAD THIEF
FOR HIS ARROGANCE
THEN SPOKE
WITH ALMOST THE SAME ARROGANCE
WHEN HE SAID
JESUS REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU COME IN TO YOUR KINGDOM
TWO ARROGANT PETITIONS
BUT FROM DIFFERENT HEARTS
ONE SPOKEN IN ANGER
ONE SPOKEN IN TRUST
AND HOPE
AND TO THE TRUSTING
HOPEFUL HEART
HE SAID
TRULY
TODAY
YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE
I WONDER
WHAT THE GUARDS THOUGHT
WHEN THEY HEARD THIS CONVERSATION
DID IT INTERRUPT THEIR DICE GAME
WERE THEY PERHAPS EMBARRASSED
BY THE GOODNESS
OF THE MAN THEY WERE KILLING
OR DID THEY THINK
THAT THE PAIN
OF THEIR TORTURE
HAD ROBBED HIS MIND OF REASON
HOW COULD THAT ONE
SAVE ANYONE
NAILED TO THE TREE
WITH GOOD STOUT NAILS
WITH THE SIGN ABOVE HIS HEAD
WHICH MOCKED HIM AS KING
THEY'D BEEN WITH HIM
WHEN THEY'D WHIPPED
AND CROWNED HIM
AND THEY HAD HEARD
NEITHER CURSE NOR WHIMPER
NO KING HE
A LAMB MAYBE
QUIET IN HIS SLAUGHTER
BUT NO KING-
HOW RIDICULOUS A DEATH
DYING ON A HILLSIDE
LIKE A NAME
PAINTED ON A CLIFF-
HOW RIDICULOUS A DEATH
DYING ON A HILLSIDE
LIKE A NAME
CARVED ON A TREE BY LOVERS
AND IN THIS NAME
THE NAME OF JESUS
WE ARE EMBARRASSED
WHY?
PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE
WE THINK
THAT WE ARE UNLOVABLE
WE DO NOT DOUBT
THAT GOD CAN SAVE US
BUT WE DO DOUBT
THAT SOMEONE COULD LOVE US
SO MUCH
AS TO DIE FOR US
TO DIE FOR US
NOT FOOLISHLY
BUT FULLY KNOWING
OUR UNWORTHINESS
AND STILL WANTING TO SAVE US
I SUSPECT
THAT THE REAL REASON
WHY THE NAME
JESUS
MAY EMBARRASS US
WHEN IT STANDS NAKED BY ITSELF
IS THAT IT PUTS US
ON A FIRST NAME BASIS
IT REMINDS US
OF OUR OWN NEED FOR SALVATION
OUR OWN NAKEDNESS
OUR OWN NAMES
FOR JESUS HAS COME
TO SAVE D-GUY
SAVE JJ AND PAULA
SAVE THERESA
SAVE MARY
SAVE KAREN AND PETER
SAVE MARCIA
SAVE ALL OF US-
NOT FOR OUR JOBS
NOT FOR OUR TITLES
NOT FOR OUR TITHING
NOT BECAUSE WE ARE RETIRED
OR WORKING
MARRIED
SINGLE OR DIVORCED
NOT FOR ANY REASON
EXCEPT HE LOVES US
HE MADE US
WE ARE THE WORK OF HIS HANDS
AND GOD DOESN'T MAKE JUNK
HE LOVES US
END OF SENTENCE
HE LOVES
US
THE MESSAGE ON THE CLIFFSIDE
CALLS US BY NAME
CALLS ALL OF US BY NAME
IT SAYS
UNCOVER YOUR EYES
OPEN YOUR EARS
I BRING TRUTH AND HOPE
FOR ALL THE NEEDING-TO-BE FILLED
PLACES IN YOUR LIVES
BE LIKE THE GOOD THIEF
AND KNOW THE PAIN OF SURRENDER
THE PAIN OF KNOWING
THE HELPLESSNESS
OF TRYING TO HELP YOURSELF
CALL ON ME
CALL ON ME
LIKE THE GOOD THIEF
CALL ON ME
SAYING
JESUS REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM
REMEMBER ME
REMEMBER ME
REMEMBER ME
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU'
JESUS SAYS I WILL
AND WHETHER IT SEEMS PREPOSTEROUS
IN OUR JUDGMENT
OR EMBARRASSING
THE SAME GOD
THAT SAVED THIEVES
HANGING JUSTLY ON THE CROSS
ALSO SAVES CLOWNS LIKE YOU
AND ME
NOT FOR ANY OTHER REASON
THAN THAT HE LOVES US
SO WHEN
THE PHARISEES SAY TO HIM
LEAVE NOW
BEFORE THEY KILL YOU
HE REPLIES
I WILL STAY FAITHFUL
TO MY TASK
TODAY
TOMORROW
AND THE DAY AFTER
WHICH MEANS
ALWAYS
FURTHER
JESUS SAYS
COME TO MY SHOP
WHERE THERE IS A SIGN
THAT SAYS
JESUS
CARPENTER
MAKER OF EASY YOKES
WE MAKE YOUR BURDEN LIGHT
COME IN
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
LET ME PROVE IT
AND AS WE ENTER
WE CATCH OUR IMAGE
IN THE WINDOW
OF HIS SHOP
AND WE ALSO SEE
THE REFLECTION OF THE CLIFF
WITH THE SIGN
JESUS SAVES
AND WE KNOW THE MESSAGE
IS PERSONAL AND FOR US
AMEN
IN THE WINDOW
OF HIS SHOP
AND WE ALSO SEE
THE REFLECTION OF THE CLIFF
WITH THE SIGN
JESUS SAVES
AND WE KNOW THE MESSAGE
IS PERSONAL AND FOR US
AMEN
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