He is not here - he is risen!

Incredible witnesses
In the garden
making their way quietly
to the tomb
eyes cast down
watching their step.
Carrying precious ointment
to anoint their Lord's body
That Sabbath must have seemed unending
as they waited
to care for their loved one
like waiting for a funeral
over a long weekend.
Then reaching the tomb
and seeing - what?
A stone rolled back
An empty tomb
And two angels
- reminding them
of all that he said.
"Three days later..."
But they were women
prone to hysteria
talking nonsense
It seems that, even then,
the resurrection
had to be verified
by men.
But we know
that the ones who stuck with Jesus
the ones who waited at the cross
the ones who rose early in the morning
to prepare his body for burial
the ones who nurtured and cared
from beginning to end
were women
prone to exaggeration
and "idle tales"
But, on that day,
witnesses to resurrection!

Liz Crumlish 2013

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The longest week

And so we wait
What a journey
We processed with palms
We cleared out the temple
We puzzled over parables
And broke open perfume
We cowered in the garden
And hid in the courtyard
We followed the crowds
through the streets
and watched at the foot of the cross
We saw his body taken down
and laid in a tomb
then crashed out
exhausted with all our emotions
wrung out
drained.
And now we wait
to see what will happen next.
Whatever it is
we need some time.
Enough already.
We simply can't deal
with another thing today.
And so we wait...


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Black - The colour of death

Black speaks of death
and dereliction
Of abandonment
And betrayal
Black covered the earth
as Christ died
having endured
the agony of the cross
Yet black is every colour
the green and the red
the purple and the white
All mixed up
blended into black
So, in Jesus' death
is captured
all the colours of the Passion
The green of field and palms
The red of resilience and hope
The purple of priesthood
The white of table fellowship
all melding into
the black of death and dereliction.
With such a mix
perhaps it is inevitable
that some of the colours should leech
that some should seep through
But, for now,
Black is the colour of death.

Liz Crumlish 2013

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White - a colour of the Passion

White
The cloth
thrown over the table
settles and comes to rest
covering and beautifying
Covering up the scratches
of wear and tear
and family use
transforming the kitchen table
making it a welcoming space
not just for family
but for visitors too.
A place to greet old friends
and make new
A place to catch up
with life and each other
A place to encourage
persuade and cajole
A place to listen
and console
A place to celebrate
and commiserate
A place to share food
that nurtures and sustains.
The bread of life
broken and shared
around a table
Gathered up
as each gives and takes
what they need
and returns to give
and to take some more.
And in the sharing
finds communion.
White - a colour of the Passion

Liz Crumlish 2013

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The colour purple

Purple
Purple
for a king
Priestly
Royal
Rich
Purple
for a burial
sombre
subdued
dignified
Purple - the robe draped in mockery
around the man betrayed
arrested
and tortured
and led out to die
Purple
the cloth that hung
on the broken body
of the Prince of peace
as he cried
"It is finished."
Purple -
The cloth torn up
and divided
as the soldiers
of execution
divided the spoils
Purple the colour of glory
especially glory bought at a price
the colour of glory
that was wrought in Christ
when God's glory
was revealed in the Son.
Purple - a colour of the Passion



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The colour of love

Red

I wonder if poppies
grew at Calvary
Springing up
as bright red flags
Signalling hope
and persistence
Testifying to resilience
and the refusal
to be denied life
Proclaiming love
the love of one
whose shed blood
atoned for many
Whose love affirms
all love
wherever it is found.
The one whose light
shines in the darkness
and cannot be put out.
Red - the colour of love.
A colour of the Passion.


Liz Crumlish 2013
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The Colours of Passion - Green

Green

We see the colour green
in the fields in which the shepherds abided
to whom the good news was proclaimed:
Christ is born
We see green on the plains
on which Jesus taught
surrounded by those who were mesmerised
by his teaching
We see green behind the ears
of those first disciples
who put their lives on hold
and tagged along for the journey
and who learned from the Master
things they could never have imagined.
We see green in the envy
in the hearts of the religious authorities
who saw their influence trickle away
as the people discovered
a new and liberating way to love God.
We see green in the waving palm branches
that heralded a triumphant entry
and the beginning
of the final passion filled journey
We see green in the colour of money
that was enough to buy betrayal
when the authorities said: "Enough is enough"
We see green in the face of Peter
as he squirmed out of his association
with the man arrested and tried
sick as he realised
he'd reacted
just as Jesus said he would.
We see green
in the new wood
roughly hued
to form a cross
hoisted high
proclaiming death.
We see green
A colour of the Passion.

Liz Crumlish 2013


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