An Epistle, a Prayer

 

An Epistle, a Prayer

(“In order to set us free from this present evil age, Christ gave himself for our sins, in obedience to the will of our God and Father.” Galatians 1:4)

Dear Jesus,
having set us free from the present evil age,
it makes me wonder why
so many of your disciples use
bullying and
sometimes billy clubs
to get your point across.

I know, Jesus,
this has caused such a poor reflection on you
that many have twisted every bit of wrath out
of any graceful act you performed. And, honestly,
I have been scorned for suggesting we pause a bit
in our
list of sins that we no longer participate in. We know
damn well
most of our inclinations did not change the
moment we decided that a rearrangement was in
order. We dined at camps where the noise level
made us slink out to the bench behind the tabernacle
just to rest. Just to rest. Just to refresh
and rewash our ears
from the assault of decibels that convinced
most everybody else
that the holyghost was soon to appear. Yes,
my tear stains are on that carpeted stage as well.

But Jesus,
the one time I stayed quietly in my pew while angry
men and
women who wore it well
dragged seatmates and cousins to their knees before
the cacophony right in front of the evangelist’s feet,
the one time I sat tight halfway back
I was accused of quenching the spirit.
(All I wanted was to peacefully meet with you,
Jesus,
without the sound and sweat and salty tears
writing my script.)

And yet I cannot argue, Jesus,
the present age has much evil,
and you, in love of humanity and
humility of private conversations,
you absorbed the violence that

The state sponsored

That

The religionists supported

and

The crowd roared in scorn

While

Disciples fled

And

The women stayed to the end.

My dear Jesus,
may your church,
the one which storms the gates of the dead,
be delivered once again
from this white-ghost addiction
to spelling out the sharper notes of
everyone else’s sin.