he was raising Lazarus
to sin again,
a mock resurrection
symbolizing
realities yet unripe, a
vine
to bear fruit at
Passover,
and again and again
until the end of the
age.
And did the Lord weep
when he conceived you,
Christ,
knowing all the sin
that we would yet
conceive?
Did it break his heart
to tear into your flesh
with all the wrath
stored up
for someone else? For
Lazarus?
Mary? Martha? Myself?
No wonder you wept and
prayed the cup to pass.
You were a prince after
all,
and it's usually the
prince
who needs a whipping
boy
and not the other way
around.
Don't get me wrong,
but did it ever work
to see a friend whipped
instead?
So maybe you could whip
me too.
(But only just a
little)
