It is Good Friday.
For Christians everywhere, this day is a sacred remembrance,
a confrontation with darkness, hate,
and all that we name as sin.
It is the story of one who stood his ground
in spite of all the worst we could throw at him.
This day is our story as well–
ours of slipping and sliding
of hoping and hopes dashed
of anguish and sadness too great to name.
It is a time for a holy joining of our pain to Christ,
to his cross,
and beyond.
I offer the following reflection
as awareness of
and solidarity with
all who have suffered violence, hatred and abuse
and as empathy with their loved ones
as they bear the cross and crossing of life’s thresholds:
one step forward 4 steps back…
she goes again.
Why?
every time her foot hesitantly
inches toward
that golden line of success
releasing the demons
holding her self esteem hostage
she slides
slipping like a little girl
the first time she gingerly touches ice
with her winter galoshes
and then
as quick as a wink
down
down
down
4 steps back.
O God
I am her Mother and it hurts
to see my baby fall again and again
so I wonder
as you carried the burden
of that slivery
horrible
torture device we wear with pride
around our necks and in our ears and on our skin and
we hang it everywhere
did your mother wonder why?
1 step forward,
4 back
when I see the cross,
I should
I MUST
remind myself that
even death is defeated
by love.
but God,
it’s so damn hard to watch.
© Nancie Chmielewski updated 4/3/15
[you are welcome to share with someone who may find this poem helpful–kindly respect my authorship. Thank you.]
