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| RIP Robert 09/26/52 - 02/11/09 |
The Crucifixion
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who weremourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying,“If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
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I'm not sure
the broken places
were ever mended
but your travails
did not go
unnoticed
by your Jesus
You acknowledged Him
unashamedly
at the end
You knew Him
all along
during the decades
you dowsed
your heartaches
They would not
go away
as certain tormentors
though you tried
to wash them
into oblivion
You knelt
and asked Him
into your heart
and war waged
for decades
No demon from hell
or satan's emissaries
on Earth
can taunt you
now
where there are
no
tears, death, mourning,
crying or pain
All those things
are gone forever
and though
it feels
you are, too
I know
that I know
that I know
I will see you again
as I did
in my dream--
young, strong,
unblemished
wearing garments
of red--the blood
and white--the righteousness,
an undeserved gift
mercy granted!
I was looking
at your likeness
in a photograph
on the mantel
which captured
the culmination
of your life's hardships
and in you walked
glorified
old things
had indeed
passed away
Thank you
for the hug
I needed
the reassurance
I love you, Bubba
Some judged you harshly
and serrated tongues
cut jagged wounds
on your already
torn heart
But you have risen
above all that
and those who continue
to recount the bad
have the stench
of death
on them
instead of the
Good News
which Jesus proclaimed
with every ounce of His being
the crescendo
on the cross
where He gladly
welcomed
latecomers
"Truly" our Lord said
on February 11, 2009
"today you will be
with me
in Paradise"
