Philip and Thomas

THERE IS A CHILDHOOD POEM ABOUT CHRISTMAS
THAT SAYS


THERE WAS A KNIGHT OF BETHLEHEM
WHOSE WEALTH WAS TEARS AND SORROWS
HIS MEN AT ARMS WERE LITTLE LAMBS,
HIS TRUMPETERS WERE SPARROWS

JESUS HAS SUMMONED HIS DISCIPLES
TO GATHER WITH HIM
FOR THE PASSOVER

FOR A MEAL

A MEAL
THAT WE HAVE COME TO CALL
THE LAST SUPPER

JESUS HAS WASHED THEIR FEET

JUDAS HAS LEFT TO BETRAY HIM

PETER
HAS DECLARED HIS LOYALTY
EVEN ONTO DEATH

AND JESUS HAS TOLD HIM
THAT BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS
TO BEGIN THE DAY
HE WILL HAVE DENIED HIM THREE TIMES

THERE WAS A KNIGHT OF BETHLEHEM
WHOSE WEALTH WAS TEARS AND SORROWS
HIS MEN AT ARMS WERE LITTLE LAMBS,
HIS TRUMPETERS WERE SPARROWS


NOW BEGINS THE LAST DISCOURSE
THE LAST SERMON
THE LAST CHANCE
BEFORE HIS DEATH
FOR JESUS
TO CONVINCE HIS FOLLOWERS
WHO HE WAS
AND WHAT HIS MESSAGE WAS

LOOKING BACK THROUGH HISTORY
WE MARVEL
HOW DUMB THEY WERE
HOW DENSE THEY WERE

LOOKING FORWARD TO NOW
WE WONDER
HOW DUMB WE ARE
HOW DENSE WE ARE

ENTER NOW IN OUR PLAY
ABOUT THE LAST SUPPER

ENTER NOW
THOMAS AND PHILIP
THE QUESTIONERS

THE DIALOGUE GOES LIKE THIS

THOMAS SAID TO HIM
LORD,
WE DON'T KNOW
WHERE YOU ARE GOING,
SO HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?"
JESUS ANSWERED
I AM THE WAY
THE TRUTH
AND THE LIFE

NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER
EXCEPT THROUGH ME
IF YOU REALLY KNEW ME,
YOU WOULD KNOW MY FATHER AS WELL.



FROM NOW ON,
YOU DO KNOW HIM
AND HAVE SEEN HIM."




PHILIP SAID
LORD
SHOW US THE FATHER
AND THAT WILL BE ENOUGH FOR US
JESUS ANSWERED:
PHILIP
DON'T YOU KNOW ME

EVEN AFTER
I HAVE BEEN WITH YOU
SUCH A LONG TIME

PHILIP
ANYONE WHO HAS SEEN ME
HAS SEEN THE FATHER

NOW JOHN
USES THOMAS AND PHILIP
TO BE A VOICE
TO SHOW
WHAT THE THOUGHTS OF THE PEOPLE WERE
WHEN JESUS WAS TEACHING

TO BE A VOICE FOR ALL THOSE
WHO FOUND HIS TEACHING HARD
THEN


TO BE A VOICE FOR ALL THOSE
WHO FIND HIS TEACHING HARD
NOW


THERE WAS A KNIGHT OF BETHLEHEM
WHOSE WEALTH WAS TEARS AND SORROWS
HIS MEN AT ARMS WERE LITTLE LAMBS,
HIS TRUMPETERS WERE SPARROWS

WHAT WAS THAT HARD MESSAGE

IT WAS
THAT WHEN YOU LOOKED AT JESUS
YOU WERE LOOKING AT GOD

IN THE TIME OF JESUS
TO LOOK AT GOD
WAS INVITING DESTRUCTION

REMEMBER WHAT GOD
TOLD MOSES ON THE MOUNTAIN
YOU SHALL SEE MY BACK
BUT MY FACE YOU SHALL NOT SEE

WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING
WAS THAT GOD
WAS NOT TO BE FOUND
ON SOME MYSTIC MOUNTAIN
OR TRAPPED IN A TEMPLE
TO BE APPEASED BY SACRIFICE

WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING
WAS THAT GOD
HAD BECOME DOMESTICATED
HE WAS LIVING AN ORDINARY LIFE
AMONG MEN

IT IS JESUS WORKING
WHO GIVES WORK DIGNITY

IT IS JESUS WEEPING
OVER LAZARUS
THAT GIVES GRIEF
JOY
FRIENDS
AND FAMILY MEANING

IT IS JESUS DIPPING BREAD IN OIL
AND FEEDING JUDAS
THAT SHOWS A GOD
THAT KNOWS PAIN AND SORROW
AND WHAT BETRAYAL FEELS LIKE

IT IS JESUS
LABORING TIME AND AGAIN
TO EDUCATE HIS FOLLOWERS
WITH LITTLE SUCCESS
THAT GIVES MOTHERS OF FAMILIES MEANING

IT MEANS TAKING CARE OF THE WORLD
BECAUSE GOD LIVES HERE




IT MEANS TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER
BECAUSE WE ARE IMPORTANT
BECAUSE GOD MADE US IMPORTANT
WHEN HE BECAME
ONE OF US

THERE WAS A KNIGHT OF BETHLEHEM
WHOSE WEALTH WAS TEARS AND SORROWS
HIS MEN AT ARMS WERE LITTLE LAMBS,
HIS TRUMPETERS WERE SPARROWS


AND HE COMES WITH A MESSAGE
HE GIVES TO EACH OF US TO TEACH

THE MESSAGE
THAT GOD IS
HE LOVES
HE CARES
HE WALKS AMONG US

THERE ARE NO CASTAWAY PEOPLE

THIS IS WHAT PETER MEANS
WHEN HE WRITES

BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE,
A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD,
A HOLY NATION,
A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD
,
THAT YOU MAY DECLARE
THE PRAISES OF HIM
WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS
INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT

ONCE
YOU WERE NOT A PEOPLE,
BUT NOW
YOU ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD;

ONCE
YOU HAD NOT RECEIVED MERCY,
BUT NOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED MERCY.



AND THAT MERCY
THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED
WE ARE ASKED TO PASS ON.

WE ARE ASKED
TO DO THIS BECAUSE
JESUS
LOVED THIS WORLD
SO MUCH HE CAME TO LIVE HERE
AND TO DIE FOR IT

SO JESUS IS ASKING US
AND IS ALWAYS ASKING US

LITTLE LAMBS
WILL YOU HELP ME

LITTLE SPARROWS
WILL YOU HELP ME

WILL YOU HELP ME
BUILD A BETTER WORLD

AND I SHALL BE THE CORNER STONE
THE STONE THAT THE BUILDERS REJECTED

AMEN