Eloi, Eloi

 Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani?


There was a time when Friday was not so good,

When Jesus felt abandoned by his God

Dying on a cross when all he did

Was preach obedience to the Father.   


The sun shone high in the Jerusalem sky

Forced by soldiers to carry his cross

Cruelty upon cruelty by a Roman ruler

Because the Jews couldn’t kill their savior. 


Betrayed by a man he knew so well

Isn’t it always so?

His faithful followers far away

The courage of those who chose to stay. 


Two days later the empty tomb

His presence felt in an upper room

What happened then - no one agrees

Not then, not now, we don’t know how.  


One thing for sure his memory grew

He led a life not framed by death

His teachings made more sense 

Because, despite, the Friday event. 


Ave verum corpus plays on the radio

Tenebrae by Tomas Luis de Victoria

Unsullied through the centuries 

Witness to a Christian weltanschauung


That world has passed but happily

It keeps us nourished aesthetically 

Built on conviction of a special day

Where good trumps evil on a Friday.  

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