It Was Finished
Now it was finished-------
The ancient prophecy fulfilled,
“Thou shalt bruise his heel,
But He shall have power
To crush thy head.”
He was wounded for our transgressions,
And with His stripes we are healed.
Nearly forgotten was the memory
Of a star of brilliance, of angelic voices.
Completed were the miracles----
The lepers cleansed----the dead raised----
The multitude fed----.
Stilled the voice of The Sermon on The Mount----
Left behind the marvelous Transfiguration
On another mount.
Hushed were the glad hosannas, welcoming
A donkey seated King.
Grief filed the remembrance of the evening
In an upper room, where feet were washed----
Bread was broken----red, red wine was poured,
“This do in remembrance of my body and blood
Which were given for you.”
Of gentle words, “my peace I leave with you----
Love one another, as I have loved you.”
Finished was terrible agony of Gethsemane,
Where scarlet drops still stained the leaves
Beneath a gnarled olive tree.
The wearying indignity of an illegal trial was over----
Done was the ultimate betrayal
Of a traitors kiss, And the shadow of a body
Hanging from a tree----
The cock had set forth his clarion heralding the dawn----
And Peter’s grief knew no solace----
The mobs screaming frenzy was still----
“Crucify him----His blood be upon us
And our children”, had been pronounced----
A puzzled Pilate had washed his hands,
And given him over to torture.
Gone now, the pain of the crowns thrusting thorns----
Finished the Game of Kings,
As the cat of nine-tails,
Shredded an innocent back.
Finished the staggering burden of the cross----
The terrible torture of the crucifixion----
Stilled the voices which asked, beyond His torment----
“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Which promised a repentant thief,
“Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”
Words in ultimate love to His Mother and John the Beloved,
‘Woman, behold thy Son----Behold thy Mother.”
Gone the dark moment when His Father forsook Him,
“My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
His only words for self wrung from His thirsting body,
“I thirst”----
And at the end, as His great heart was breaking,
“It is finished, Father, into thy hands
I commend my spirit.”
Finished, the quick thrusting sword,
Where water and blood gushed forth----
Silent the earth’s great cry of anguish----
Prompted a hardened Centurion
To whisper, “Surely a God has died.”
While the veil was torn apart in the temple.
Completed now, was the hasty burial----
In a borrowed tomb
Went all their hopes and aspirations.
The watch had been set,
The stone rolled in place.
A brooding Sabbath lay over the land----
And half a world away
The cries of the remnant rent the air.
Then what was this great trembling?----
A stone rolled away. Graves sprang open
As watchmen raced to report,
And the great lie was perpetrated.
Hurrying figures came through the bird song
Of dew drenched dawn,
To perform their last labor of love----
Worrying----grieving----
“Who shall roll away the stone?”
But what was this startling sight?
An open tomb----a stone rolled away----
Only empty grave cloths lying there,
And an angel in white----
“Why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is risen----He is not here----“
How they ran with the electrifying news
To His forlorn followers----and Peter,
Especially to Peter----his need to be included was so great.
Then came the radiance of recognition----
The radiance of realization,
As a beloved voice spoke, “Mary,”----
And “Handle me and see,
For a spirit hath not flesh and bones
As ye see me have.”
Now, truly , it was finished----
The atonement wrought----
Satan defeated----death overcome
With the blessed assurance,
“I go to prepare a place for you
That where I am ye may be also.”
Ringing down to us through the ages.
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