Saint
Joseph
Saint
Joseph
Jesus, You stand before me wearing a crown of thorns.
Your hair is matted with blood coming from Your scalp.
Your eyes, ears, nose and mouth bleed onto Your beard.
Your white tunic is soaked in blood from Your hands and side.
I want to retch and cry but I stay to hear You.
Your words penetrate my soul like a sword.
"You too have added to these wounds."
Your truth is not what I want to hear.
I had come to You for comfort from unkindness.
The hurt and pain others had given to me.
Then Your wisdom teaches me what You just spoke.
Not from Nazism, slavery, world wars, terrorists,
political or religious beliefs do You alone bleed.
But You are crucified daily by our own unkindness.
Children hear when we yell at a clerk for giving wrong change.
See us cut off someone driving that failed to use a turn signal.
Listen to us gossip about co-workers or belittle a neighbor.
We make others feel less than, so we are important and secure.
Innocence is influenced and corrupted by our very actions.
As we take away faith, hope and love in a world of need.
Piercing Your Sacred Heart and Soul, the true Victim.
With insults and sarcasms while calling ourselves christian.
Forgetting or ignoring each soul is precious to You.
That You truly feel every sorrow, pain and fear of mankind.
You tell me to walk away when another screams an unkindness.
To answer if they ask why I walked away, help them when in need.
Be kind even if it is never returned or acknowledged by them.
Lean on You for strength and wisdom for comfort with these ways.
Sweet Savior, thank-you for Your unending truth and mercy.
Help me, help us all to be gentle in a world of fear and hate.
By Jacqueline Ann Piech
08/01/2007
