1. Lord Christ, when first you came to earth,
upon a cross they bound you,
and mocked your saving kingship's worth
by thorns with which they crowned you.
And still our wrongs may fashion now
new thorns to pierce that steady brow,
and robe of sorrow round you.
2. O awesome Love, which finds no room
in life where sin denies you,
and, doomed to death, shall bring to doom
the pow'r that crucifies you,
till not a stone is left on stone,
and then the nations' pride, o'erthrown,
will nevermore defy you!
3. New advent of the love of Christ,
will we again refuse you,
till in the night of hate and war
we perish as we lose you?
From ancient doubts our minds release
to seek the kingdom of your peace,
by which alone we choose you.
4. O wounded hands of Jesus, build
in us your new creation;
our pride is dust, our vaunt is stilled;
we wait your revelation.
O Love that triumphs over loss,
we bring our hearts before your cross;
come, finish your salvation.
***
"POWER that crucifies you" (verse 2).
We know about Pilate's way; we know the way of religion gone awry. When Love gets in my way, when comfortable systems are threatened by grace and forgiveness, when relationships between people are shown to be more important than borders, then we "[mock] your saving kingship's worth by thorns with which [we] crowned you" (verse 1). What is truth?Yet, you have been claimed by Truth, by the Resurrected One. The Spirit of King Jesus lives in you and calls you to live in the new kingdom that is not "from" this world (see Friday's gospel reading from John) but most certainly is "in" this world. "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth ...."
And so the kingdom begins, in you, today. This is Truth.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, "O Love that triumphs over loss, we bring our hearts before your cross; come, finish your salvation" (verse 4). Amen.
Ronald Jensen, '77
Retired, Austin, Minn.
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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