Beneath the Cross of Christ I stand
~Fr. Nigel W.D. Mumford+
Beneath the Cross of Christ I stand
I am a Military man,
With my orders... in my hand.
“Don’t break his legs just pierce Him with your spear and
Make sure he is lifeless.
I have my orders
To finish this man off,
as I run Him through.
This I do,
And to my surprise water flows out.
I stand back and suppress a shout.
Then the man slumps
But speaks from his heart.
“Father forgive them they know not what they do.
Into your hands I commend my Soul...”
He slumped in death, the weather changed
There was lighting and thunder...
it was then that I knew
This man truly was the Son of God.
I didn’t sleep that night
Or for many nights after
I had delivered the coup de grâce
He was dying anyway
But I had to watch... and stay.
That moment replayed in my mind
Over and over, I had killed the man
The man who had only helped others
And healed on the Sabbath.
'
People pointed at me, for a while
I was not a happy man
I felt the burden of taking this mans life
I had terminated the Son of God
Yes, truly he was that man.
My personal grief
Formed into relief
When my heart knew
And was filled with knowledge and belief.
For, very truly I tell I tell you,
This man Jesus is the Son of God.
And
I was the last man to see him alive!
Until two days later
When I heard the news
The tomb was empty
He had risen and left the cave
The resurrected Christ alive and well
Even though I had run Him through.
And saw Him die...
--
Healing Grace and Peace be with you, Fr. Nigel+
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