Holy Week

Holy Week proceeds with human naivete
and divine irony,
from royal palms to crown of thorns,
from Peter to Barabbas,
from feet anointed to feet pierced,
from sacrificial lamb to sacrificial lamb.
People who demand answers are full of speech;
the one who is the truth is silent.
Year after year we rehearse our infidelity
till we have it down perfect.
We keep on being forgiven for we know not,
and we keep on knowing not.
Watch the consistency of our false accusations,
our bogus claims, our flaky promises,
and his faithfulness, his gentleness, his love.
Notice our self-absorption and his self-giving.
Every year we say “How can I thank you?”
Every year he says, “Watch.”
Every year we say “This happened.”
Every year he says “Come with me.”