Jesus fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah. He came to bring mercy, not judgment. May we know his mercy this day, that we might receive the eternal life he speaks of.
Category: John’s gospel poetry
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Lenten Poems – “Not to Judge, but Save” (30)
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Lenten Poems – “Children of Light” (29)
Photo: McKay Savage, flickr I love this passage, filled with so many thought-provoking words of Jesus. So many songs have been inspired here – “We Want to See Jesus”; “Walk in the Light”; and the one about the kernel of wheat that Russ Taff sings that I can’t place just now! (Help me out if you can!) Thought for the day – become children of light…
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Lenten Poems – “Entry of a King” (28)
By James Tissot. Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2007, Public Domain Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds welcome him, shouting “Hosanna!” but the teachers of the law continue to plot against him.
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Lenten Poems – “Love Poured Out” (27)
From a 1684 Arabic manuscript of the Gospels, copied in Egypt by Ilyas Basim Khuri Bazzi Rahib (likely a Coptic monk). In the collection of The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland. Creative Commons license. Mary anoints Jesus with nard, pouring out her love to him in an act of devotion. Her profession of love met with persecution, however, as the religious leaders keep on with their campaign to eradicate Jesus and now Lazarus too.
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Lenten Poems – “Lazarus, Come Out!” (26)
Sixth century mosaic of the Raising of Lazarus, church of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy. The amazing raising of Lazarus from the dead – the “dead man came out” – I love that. And yet it was another sign for the religious leaders to keep their plotting and planning, for they see their power slipping away. But Jesus exemplifies true power.
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Lenten Poems – “Lazarus Lay Sick” (25)
The Raising of Lazarus’ by Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1310–11 Jesus knew Lazarus was unwell and yet he stayed where he was until he had died. We know how the story turns out, but imagine Mary and Martha and their fear and confusion. As unmarried women, they would have suffered in many ways with their brother dying, not least the obvious of missing him.
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Lenten Poems – “I and the Father are One” (24)
Jesus disputes with the Pharisees. French School. In the Bowyer Bible in Bolton Museum, England. Print 3861. From “An Illustrated Commentary on the Gospel of Mark” by Phillip Medhurst. Jesus speaks; Jesus heals; they pick up stones to kill him. We see the pattern again and again in John’s gospel – a sobering reminder of how Jesus is the fragrance of life to one and to another the stench of death.
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Lenten Poems – The Good Shepherd (23)
Photo: Lydur Skulason, flickr The words of Jesus. I’m loving spending time each day in John’s gospel, soaking in the words of Jesus. Today we think about the Good Shepherd and the sheep and the thieves who come to destroy. And how we as sheep listen to the Shepherd, for we know his voice. May you hear his voice today.
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Lenten Poems – The Blind Will See (22)
Duccio di Buoninsegna – Healing of the Blind Man Such controversy the teachers of the law got embroiled in over whether the man born blind was actually healed by Jesus. The man knew; his parents didn’t like to say; the religious leaders grew more incensed as Jesus exposed their spiritual blindness.
What am I – what are you – not seeing today?
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Lenten Poems – Came Home Seeing (21)
Christ and the pauper. Healing of the blind man. 2009. Canvas, oil. 100 x 55. Artist A.N. Mironov. Jesus had compassion on those who were limited physically, as we see in his healing the man blind from birth. He doesn’t hold back his grace or love; nor does he amend his answers to the teachers of the law to suit them – as we will see even more tomorrow.
“I was blind but I washed.” What a testimony of God’s love.
