Saturday 15 March 2008

Good Thief on the Cross

Eve of PASSION Sunday
Hi, William,

On this eve of PASSION (Palm) Sunday, thank you for your Poem on Jesus’ 3rd Word from the Cross, “This day you will be with me in Paradise”, Lk. 23:39-43.

You gently assume the place of the ‘Good Thief’ in your prayerful reflection, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom”.

It is the Son of Man who plumbs the Dream of Paradise. He Himself is your guide.

Jesus sees the Good Thief, the Jews and each one of those witnessing the Passion from his awareness of their limited understanding, “they do not know”.

In his response to the Good Thief he carries us into the untold depths of his heart – the perception f divine love sparked off by the simple unknowing Dismas.

May your Poem bring blessings to those who pray their way through the Great Week.

Donald.


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The Dream of Paradise
In the Passion we discover ourselves in Christ Jesus in his unguarded humanity exposed to the power of evil. If we may be one with him in his utter poverty1 we must surrender our self-will and abandon ourselves to divine love, journeying through the darkness of our own estrangement to the centre of our being, that we may discover our divine essence in God’s immanent Word in the light of the Resurrection. Transcending ourselves, we are to become as the Good Thief in his moment of confession that we may awaken in the presence of Uncreated Love, the Dream of Paradise.

1Philippians 2:6-8
Luke 23:43 “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”
.

I love to dream the Dream of Paradise
As I journey with You along the path to Calvary
By ways unknown leading to the centre of my being,
To the discovery of the divine essence of my soul.

I cannot see beyond the cruel image of the Cross,
The tree that was destined to bear fruit for the living, 1
For all descends into darkness as evil eclipses the sun
At the hour when You contend with Adam’s desolation. 2

As the sun emerges from behind the arc of evil,
Shadows at the core of my being surrendering
I remain, transfixed before the silhouette of the lifeless Cross
No longer bearing the broken figure of my crucified Lord.

Beside the hallowed tree I hear Your Voice upon the evening air 3
Calling to me from far beyond the misery of my nakedness4
To share in the eternal perfection of the Divine Unity of All Being,
To awaken in the presence of Uncreated Love, the Dream of Paradise.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Genesis 3: 22 [1], 23 [2], 8 [3], 10 [4]
Hosea 6:2 “After two days He will revive us, on the third day
He will raise us up and we shall live in His presence”

William W.


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1 comment:

Joyful Catholic said...

The poem is beautiful and has blessed me. Sometimes my sins loom large in front of me...but I know I can't go where the evil one would take me, to the dark abyss of despair. This also has blessed me today~

WHEN you are overwhelmed with your sinfulness, there are only nine words you need to remember:

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. (Luke 23:42)