Jesus wept for Lazarus,
but was it for the death of flesh
or for the death of soul--
a life mock-resurrected
symbolizing realities yet unripe,
the grapevine grafted over and again
until the end of the age?
And did the Father weep
when He conceived you, Christ,
knowing of the sin
that we would yet conceive?
Did it break His heart
to break Your flesh
with all the wrath stored up
for someone else? For Lazarus?
Mary? Martha? Me?
O Prince, you prayed
that cup of wrath be poured
on other ground, weeping
for Yourself, perhaps, or
maybe for the man whose
lips would drain that cup.
Lord, whether weeping over
Judas, me or Lazarus,
pray us all, forgive me, Father,
for we know not what we do.
