A prophet came in God’s great name;
all those who fail received his call.
He shook the great and loved the small,
and lit an everlasting flame.

Then hear, you deaf, and see, you blind;
the long awaited one had come.
But many asked “Where are you from?
The King must be of David’s kind.”

Our deepest hungers then were fed;
out of his mouth love’s seeds were sowed,
out of his life love’s meaning flowed.
But evil screamed at each word he said.

They took him in the midst of night,
men protecting place and power.
Oh! Terrible this evil hour;
would hell prevail against the right?

The morning’s portents terrified:
the red veiled sun, the screaming birds.
We spoke in hushed and worried words
and heard the cries of “crucified!”

After the run of the blood red sun
darkness grew to cover the land.
Thus we came to understand
something dreadful had been done.

Then bring the oils and winding sheet,
and close the tomb of righteousness.
For power, ever merciless,
cannot abide the least defeat.

Strike the shepherd and scatter the sheep,
curse the ocean and stop the tide!
All things will pass, the Word abides;
and as you sow, so shall you reap.

For then we saw, oh glorious!
that heavy stone was pushed aside
and heaven’s gate was opened wide;
He lived, who died for all of us.

mr. Ron Vardiman, O.P.