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“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”—Luke 23:42

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something strange happens each year

a few days before palm sunday

i’m in the garden

i drink the cup

i’m condemned to death

my clothes are stripped

pilate washes his hands

scourged

crowned with thorns

nailed

lifted high

hung to die

death

.

.

oh, what comes next!

the pierce

the pierce that releases

so much blood

blood stored up

since my heart was struck

a few days before

betrayed

stabbed in the back

oh, what a strange next act!

taking down the body

oh, Lord, how is it done?

how do they remove those nails

so deeply driven

into wood

.

.

oh, what a mess the hands have become!

merely holes

then stretched by sinful weight

then, o Lord, ripped apart

ripped by the claw

of a carpenter’s hammer

but full of grace

she resides a few feet below

into Mary’s arms

bathed by tears

draped across her lap

oh, the joy of being cleansed

oh, the joy of being clothed in white

oh, the joy of entering the tomb

the inner room

the door closed tight

praying to the father

to Him in secret

He Who receives my spirit

Who rescues my soul

into Your hands

are placed shredded palms

.

.

oh, the joy that dear sunday

named after palm

that day my passion ends

that sunday I rise again

to become a child

one of many waving branches

“Hosanna in the highest!”

it is Yours, now, Lord Jesus

You take over from here

You invite Your disciples

Your children

Your little brothers

Your little sisters

to step aside

You ride into Jerusalem

upon an ass

You ride in

to show how it’s done

it’s Your Passion Jesus

oh, the joy that You are the Lord

that it is You, not me

the joy of Your pain

Your suffering

Your gift

oh, the joy Your Passion brings

to a wretch like me!
.
.

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He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”—Luke 23:43

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—Howard Hain