Criminals

No respite was there for the Lamb of God
From insult from the tongues of those who took
Delight or scorn at His most piteous state.
Crushing mental abuse from every side
As it did seem, no kindness to Him shown,
A desolate and hapless victim of
Such mental cruelty for now there came
From one side of the suffering trinity
A torrent of insults spurred on by sheer
Refusal to accept belief in Him
Who hung between the two men who were found
To be guilty of crimes, unlike the Lamb
Of God, the blameless, sinless offering
Poured out for humankind. This criminal,
Spoke to Him, in between each choking gasp
Challenged his intentions, yet which could not
Prevent the torrent that came forth. He said:
“Who could believe your claims to be the One
To set our nation free from tyranny
To heal divisions and bring justice to
Our land and people, where now is your power?
You conjure up fine words to make us think
That you are the Messiah, Son of God
Our great Redeemer, one in whom we all
Could trust and put our faith in, all we now
See is a bleeding, forlorn helpless man
A parody of what you claimed to be.
You are a joke, a laughing stock for all
To see and laugh to scorn, you have no right
To claim the title of the Son of God.
Why did you not regard the wisdom of
Your elders, they who offer up a lamb
Upon the altar of the temple for
Forgiveness of our sins which weigh us down
And make us right again in the sight of
The Blessed One, what do you say to that?
But if you really are the Son of God,
Why don’t you save yourself and us? Until
You prove yourself, I won’t believe in you.”
The Lamb of God, discerning Satan’s lies
Spoken through tongue of victim such as He,
Hung there, exhausted, helpless to reply
For even if he had the strength to speak
At length, he reckoned that His words would fall
On ears that only wanted to hear what
They wanted to hear. Wisdom’s finest pearl
Would be the Lamb of God’s reply to him
Who poured scorn on Him in His woeful state.
The other criminal, appalled at what
Was said by his compatriot, did speak
In the defence of Jesus, this rebuke:
“What right have you to say such things, how can
You prove the things that you in ignorance make
About His worthlessness to be the One
To bring us ever closer to the shores
Of Paradise, abode of the Blessèd
Where nothing evil dares to show its face
Where perfect souls do spend eternity
In wonder, love and praise and joyous deeds?
You have no right to point the finger at
This helpless man who suffers even now
In innocence, for blameless is He sure.
Do you not fear God, have you no respect
For the Eternal One who made us all
In His own image, where is your homage?
You and I, like this man, are under the
Same sentence of death, you and I have both
Committed crimes worthy of nothing but
The sentence of death, we are receiving
Reward most just for our crimes and misdeeds.
Look at this man between us, look at him.
This man Is blameless, in his life and works.
Kind hands were His hands, that did good to all,
Pain and sickness healed, children small were blessed
He washed tired feet, and helped to save those who
By their misfortune or from grace did fall.
Look at his hands now, jagged nails run through
To spill innocent blood, such cruelty
So undeserved. Now look down at His feet
They too are run through, can you not see how
Righteous this man is, blameless innocent?
He has done nothing wrong, show Him respect.
He is the Saviour, suffering for us.”
His admonition finished, this same man
In contrition and penance for his sins
Unto the Lamb of God did say these words:
“Jesus, when you come into your kingdom,
Of your great mercy, please remember me.”
Despite His agony the Lamb of God,
Turned to the criminal and then did say:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, today
You shall, with me, be in blessed Paradise.”