Saturday, 20 April 2019

Thorns in My Side



Side-stepping
The 
Theology

While
Acknowledging
It's 
Everything 
To some

Even though
Fewer
Still
Live 
The teachings
Of
Their fallen
Hero

While 
Others
Desecrate
His name
And intention
While
Renouncing
Their 
Responsibility

What 
Then
Does 
Jesus
Offer
for the
Non-religious


This time 
Of 
Year
Which 
For some
Is the crux
Of 
Their beliefs
And the epitome
of 
All that is
Holy

While
others gorge
On chocolate 

Emphasizes 
A story
Replete with

Betrayal
Denial
Authenticity
Integrity
Truth
Hopelessness
Despair
Suffering
Humiliation
Agony
Violence
Cruelty
Lies
Manipulation
Desperation 
Resignation
Surrender
Forgiveness
Death
Resurrection
Hope
Love

What life
Does not
Traverse
The full spectrum
Regardless
of
Any particular
Belief system
or
None?

Cyclically 
I have 
Known 
Them all

Let us
Drop
All 
Rationalization
Justification
And
Perceived
Righteousness
or 
Entitlement

And consider
When
and
Where
Have these
Been enacted
Including
The most heinous
Upon
Those 
Closest
To us
As well
As those
Perceived 
As the enemy?

Or 
Even those
That present
Differently
Therefore
They must 
Be suspect!

How often
Have 
These acts
Of 
Violence
Betrayal
Cruelty
Et al

Been
Visited
Upon 
The Self?

How does it
Feel
To have
Been
Betrayed
By 
The one
Closest 
To 
Your heart?

Before 
You answer
Look 
In the mirror
And
Consider
If 
Any 
Might 
Be 
Closer

How does it
Feel
To 
Be invited
To stand 
For your 
Brother (or sister)
And instead
You 
Abandon them
To "their fate"
While
Saving your
Own skin?

Did 
The end
Justify
The means?

How 
Do you feel
About 
Your choice
Whilst
It 
Revisits
Again & again?

Have 
Continued
Acts of
Violence
and
Cruelty
Ever
Brought 
To an end
Your suffering?

What 
will you
Allow 
To die
So
That 
You can be
Reborn
Another step
Toward 
The 
Best possible
Version 
Of you?

Is 
There anyone
For whom
Their 
Life circumstances
Should give
Them 
Carte blanche
To 
Hold resentment
And 
Enact vengeance?
If 
They 
Were first
To consider
All 
That comprised
The last 
Days on earth
For Jesus

For which 
He 
Still asked
For forgiveness
For 
All his tormentors


Did
Jesus 
Live out 
His life
Leading up 
To his
Crucifixion
And beyond

Because 
He 
Was the only 
One 
That could?

I say
Absolutely
Not!

What would
Be the
Point
To demonstrate
A way
Of life
That was unattainable?

Did he
Lay out
An impossibly
High standard?

Again 
I would say 
No...

It will 
Cost 
Absolutely
Everything

Then again
Absolutely
Everything
Is at stake!

This 
Kind of Integrity
Led 
To 
A "status quo"
Orchestrated
Execution

Many lies
Must die
In order
To ensure
A life
Worth living

To 
Live a life
Of lies
Begs
The respite
Of death
And
Digs the hole
With
Each dishonest
Step





R. O'Neill (April 19, 2019)




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