Friday, 2 April 2021

The Seven Sayings: A meditation poem for Good Friday

 The Seven Sayings:




These are the seven sayings

that made the world aright,

breathed upon the wind

by the Lord of light,


as from his wooden throne

they conquer broken hearts,

and spoke by Him alone 

then healing sundered parts.


The first it was forgiveness

offered to us all,

who would pierce the God-man

with a bloody awl.


The second was a promise

offered to a thief,

who then gainéd heaven

by his new belief.


The third it was in parting

His mother to behold,

to all of us then given

as queen to love and hold.


The fourth it was a great cry

from His broken heart,

yearning for His Father

while torn by sin apart.


The fifth it was a thirsting

for the souls of all,

dying for their living

healing then their fall.


The sixth it was a whisper

that thundered in the sky

bringing to completion

His quest to live and die.


The seventh was a yielding

of His final breath,

rendering now His spirit,

Life now touching death.


These are the seven sayings

that made the world aright

breathed upon the wind

by the Lord of light


as from his wooden throne

they conquer broken hearts,

are spoke by Him alone

then healing sundered parts.


On this blessed Friday

may we make our way

to the skull topped hill

there to see and pray,


to gaze upon the God-man,

to hear these words of grace,

to adore the saviour

who then took our place,


and by these sacred sayings,

these blessed words of power,

unmade the serpent's wounding

in that fateful hour.


So glory let us give Him

and always let us praise

who by His seven sayings

did our sins erase,


and ever let us speak them

aloud for all to hear

for by their very sounding

His mercy draweth near.


Art by Salvador Dali based on the vision of St. John of the Cross.

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