Step by tragic step

Palm fronds

and

a donkey.

hardly the heralds to

mankind's most dire moment

and God's greatest act.

The chapter has been opened

the sentences accelerate.

Evert word,

every line

builds towards the horror.

how could we turn our backs?

How could we join the crowd,

baying for blood,

screaming:

Barabbus,

Barabbus,

Barabbus.

Yet we chose

to enthrone the God of our desires,

denying every word,

every act, every embrace and every miracle.

We drained Jesus of his divine love, his unmerited grace,

and called him a failure.

as we crowned our faith

with the rewards reserved

for the self righteous.

If these palm fronds

could speak

would they be crying,

a donkey,

weeping

as this "journey of journeys",

slowly becomes a death march.

And, as I search my soul,

I am horrified to find

a name on my lips,

a name that reserves my deeds

for the rewards

of my self righteousness.