"What is Truth?"

Image credit: gbclander.org

 

WHAT IS TRUTH?

John 18:38

 

I first learned

the importance of truth

at my mother’s knee

My children

learned it at mine

 

Life has taught me

truth is truth, even

if no one believes it

if no one wants to believe it

if every man is a liar

 

What’s true is true, even

if millions are spent

to disprove it

if it’s argued against

lobbied against

debated against

railed against

voted against

legislated against

 

Truth Is

 

absolute—

 

even if it’s watered down

to make it acceptable

skirted around

to soften its appeal                        

lubed with oil

so it goes down

nice and easy

sugar coated

to make it palatable

 

even if it looks

soooo, soooo good

 

Truth is Truth

whether it’s popular

or unpopular

 

…even

in the face

of persecution

 

Pilate asked,

What is truth?

 

The Psalmist wrote,

The sum of God’s word

is truth

 

Jesus said,

I Am the Truth

 

He also said,

Everyone on the side

of truth

listens to Me

 

I believe the supreme

Truth is a Man

and His unchanging Word

 

…even though           

He be crucified

 

Jesus—

Salvation Truth

Resurrection Truth                                                                                           

Living Truth

 

Truth—

I can stand up for

 

Maude Carolan Pych

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

by Maude Carolan Pych

is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com

 

He is Risen...Alleluia!

A Poem for Resurrection Sunday...

He is Risen...Alleluia!

Image credit: factsandfaith.com

 RISEN

 

It’s Holy Saturday

 

Dough is rising

on the kitchen counter

 

filling me with thoughts

of rising

 

helium balloons

set free

 

sunrise

over the Sea of Galilee

 

waking up

 

rising

 

soap bubbles

floating skyward

 

seagulls soaring

 

fireworks

booming and bursting

 

jet planes at take-off

 

rocket ships

with long trails of fire

zooming to the moon

 

O, but nothing

 

nowhere

 

and no one

 

has ever done it

 

or will

 

…like Jesus

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Have a glorious Resurrection Day!

Maude's book of poetry

about the Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus,

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

is available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com

Yeshua, My Savior!

A Poem for Lent...

YESHUA[1]

 

Yeshua

Yes You are

The Miraculous Offspring

Of I Am

 

Yeshua

Yes You are

The Paschal

Lamb

 

Yeshua

Our Atonement

Flowed down

Crossed

Wooden beams

 

surrendered Life

Became

Our Great Salvation

 

Yes it did

 

Suffering Servant

Lion of Judah

Sar ha Shalom[2]

 

Yeshua

Yes You are

Ha Mashiach[3]

 

Yes!

 

You Are.

 

Maude Carolan

---

[1] Hebrew for Jesus

[2] Hebrew for Prince of Peace

[3] Hebrew for the Messiah

More poems?

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

By Maude Carolan Pych

is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

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"The Pieta"

A Poem for Lent...

Good Friday

Sometimes my own poetry causes me to weep...

This is one of those poems.

Image credit: excerptsofinri.com

THE PIETA

 

After the earthquake

the peals of thunder

the flashes of lightning across the sky

After the curious crowds dispersed

Mary sat in ominous dimness

upon a mound of earth

at the base of the Cross

clutching the body

of her Son

 

She cradled Him

in the hollow of her lap

close to her bosom

as she had

when he was

her baby boy

 

Mary removed

thorns of mockery

that encircled His forehead

and tossed it to the side

Straining to see in the shadows

she carefully picked

fragments of thorn needles

still stuck in His lifeless flesh

although they couldn’t hurt Him

any longer

 

With her fingertips

she tenderly closed the lids

over His dark, vacant eyes

and smoothed

the disheveled, matted hair

…then she kissed Him

 

O, my beautiful Son…

 

Tears flowed

down her face onto His cheeks

mingling with dried blood

With the edge of her garment

she wiped some blood away

 

John came

and rested his hand

upon her trembling shoulder

He was now her son

She was now his mother

 

Mysteries

too deep to comprehend

swirled in her mind

like the flap and flutter

of wings and overshadowing

Son of the Most High

and David’s throne

 

like pregnant Elizabeth’s joy

when the baby leapt in her womb

and the Baptizer himself, when grown

proclaiming his younger cousin

“The Lamb of God, Who

takes away the sin of the world”

 

and Simeon’s prophesy

that Jesus would be

a Light of revelation

to the Gentiles and the glory

of the people of Israel

 

Where is the Light?

Where is the glory?

Where is the throne?

 

Overwhelmed by sorrow

so intense it stabbed her

deep, deep in her inner parts

Mary cried out in anguish

and rent her robe

 

Was this what old Simeon meant

long ago in the Temple

when he held Jesus in his arms

and said a sword would pierce

my very soul?

 

O my Son, my beautiful Son…

 

I cannot fathom the ways of God, but

 

I do know this cannot be the end

 

Maude Carolan Pych

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

by Maude Carolan Pych

is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com

Mary Magdalene II

 A Poem for Lent...

Today I'm featuring another poem about Mary Magdalene:

Image credit: christophercrandolph.wordpress.com

MARY OF MAGDALA

 

Mary of Magdala was privileged—

Like the disciples, she was among the few

who spent time with Jesus, followed Him

considered Him Teacher and Friend

She called Him, Rabboni

 

Mary had lived in darkness with demons

Jesus rid her of their terror

drew her into the Light

and she was grateful

She and the brethren experienced

the wonder of unconditional love

from He, Who personified it, perfectly

 

No doubt Mary was there

when Jesus spoke of things

the multitudes yearned to know

like living the beatitudes

like eternity, death, and resurrection

like the prophetic sign of Jonah

 

Still, neither she nor the disciples

had a clear understanding

of cosmic events that were about to unfold

 

Then suddenly everything whirled

out of their control

Palm branch homage

hosannas and hallelujahs

quickly turned to betrayal

abduction and a mockery of a trial

 

There were thunderous shouts of

 

Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

 

It was no longer safe

on the streets of Jerusalem

for His followers. They became fearful

Some went into hiding

 

Then, Jesus was Crucified—

 

The earth quaked

and the sky went dark

 

Mary rent her garments and wailed

Full of sorrow, what could she do

except go early the day after the Sabbath

to anoint His dead body

 

but when she arrived at the tomb

It was empty and His body was gone

Angels were there—

resplendent angels, who spoke of resurrection

 

Mary was weeping, utterly bewildered

She couldn’t grasp resurrection—

All she could wonder was

Where was her teacher’s body?

Who took His body away?

 

Suddenly, Rabboni appeared to her

He called her, tenderly by name, but

she couldn’t comprehend

that Him standing there, speaking to her

could possibly be true—

He was dead. Wasn’t He?

 

Mary was struggling to fathom

that the greatest knowledge

ever to befall anyone, anytime, anywhere

befell upon her at that amazing moment

 

This wasn’t a time for weeping—

This was time for rejoicing!

 

She extended her hand to touch Him—

He was Alive! Breathing!

Warm! With flesh and bones—

Indeed, He had risen from the grave!

 

Jesus told her to tell His disciples

so Mary quickly hurried off, proclaiming

 

I have seen the Lord!

 

Oh! It was starting to sink in—

 

The sin of the world was atoned for

by Jesus’ death on the Cross

and by His glorious Resurrection

He became the Firstfruit

of Life Forevermore!

 

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

Maude Carolan Pych

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

by Maude Carolan Pych

is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com

Mary Magdalene

A Poem for Lent...

 

"Mary Magdalene" by J. Kirk Richards
ldsliving.com

                    IT’S NO WONDER

 

It’s no wonder

Mary of Magdala

traveled with Rabboni

and the twelve

and helped

support His mission

She was a woman on fire

with love and gratitude

a woman freed

of seven snarling demons

 

It’s no wonder

despite trepidation

she watched at a distance

as they nailed her Great One

to a wretched cross

cupping her ears, wailing

at each resonating hammerfall

No wonder

she drew near

as He hung

in the agony of dying

for being there

was better

than not being there

 

Mary, bereft

looked upon her Rabboni

as they took Him

from the beams

laid His powerless Body

in the tomb

and rolled a great round stone

across the entrance

separating Him from her

before the sun went down

that Good and terrible Friday

 

and it’s no wonder

she was back at dawn

the morning after Sabbath

with other ministering women

carrying spices

heedless of who

would roll the stone away

 

But the tomb was open

and the women trembled

as an angel astounded them

with talk of rising

 

Bewildered

Mary ran to the apostles

but it’s no wonder

she returned

to grieve near the tomb,

wanting to be

where last He was

 

A stranger, the gardener?

inquired of her weeping

"Sir," she implored

"if you have carried Him away

tell me where you have put Him

and I will get Him"

 

"Mary…"

 

"Rabboni!"

 

Astonished, she reflexively

reached for Him…

"Do not cling to Me"

He told her

"for I have not yet ascended

to My Father"

 

Oh, it’s no wonder

it was she He entrusted

to bring the news

to the brethren

No wonder

she ran, stumbling over rocks

and potsherd

dashing through brush

and brambles

raising tufts of dust

eager to exclaim

breathless with jubilation

 

"I have seen

the Lord!"

 

Maude Carolan

Would you like to read more poems?

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

by Maude Carolan Pych

is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com

"The Passover Lamb"

A Poem for Lent...

Image credit: "Lamb" by Angel Ciesniarska

 THE PASSOVER LAMB

 

Abba went into the sheepfold to choose a spotless lamb,

as Moses gave instructions that he got from the I Am.

 

Our lamb, indeed, was spotless, so I named him Wooly Bright;

we brought him inside to live with us, morning, noon, and night.

 

I ran my fingers through his coat and fed him from my hand,

I put fresh water in his trough; he’s the best lamb in the land!

 

Today he’ll be our sacrifice. Moses said this must be done.

He must die that I may live, for I’m a firstborn son.

 

We’ve been oppressed by slavery; Pharaoh will not let us go,

but God’s mighty arm will save us. We’ll watch His power flow.

 

Moses told us, take lamb’s blood, and brush it on the lintel

then we will be protected; it almost sounds too simple.

 

Tonight we will leave Egypt and journey far from home,

but I’ll remember Wooly Bright wherever I may roam.

 

 

Someday the world will see in this, God’s salvation plan;

God’s Son will be the sacrifice, the great Passover Lamb!

 

For as God will use blood of lambs to set His people free,

the precious Blood of Jesus will save sinners…you and me.

 

Maude Carolan Pych

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"
by Maude Carolan Pych,
and published by Elm Hill Publishers,
is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net
maudecpych@gmail.com

"Extraordinary Matzoh"

 A Poem for Lent...

Photo credit: haggadot.com

EXTRAORDINARY MATZOH

 

It’s only ordinary unleavened bread

Ordinary matzoh

On an earthen plate

It probably came

From a supermarket shelf

A Manischewitz box

Ordinary matzoh

Blessed for Passover

Oh, but when I take it

And cradle it lovingly

In my hands

Break it and bless it

It is for me

Most Holy Bread

Good Friday Bread

Body of the Lamb that was slain

With my cup of Redemption

Communion Bread

Lechem without hametz

Without yeast of sin

Pierced

Striped

Bruised

Shrouded afikomen

Hidden

Then resurrected

With glory

I partake

Alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

 

Maude Carolan

 

This poem has been published in William W. Francis’ book, Celebrate the Feasts of The Lord. Crest Books.

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

by Maude Carolan Pych

published by Elm Hill Publishers

is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com

Sunday's Comin'!

A Poem for Lent...

Photo credit: drericz.com

I’VE READ THE END OF THE BOOK   

 

Twice I heard Tony Campolo deliver

his famous and rousing sermon

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Comin’!

at the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove

Tony drummed home the point

that everything may look bleak on Friday, but…

come Sunday…Sunday changes everything!

 

Now, I’m not thinking of just any dark and bleak Friday

I’m thinking about the original Good Friday—

thinking the only reason I can bear

to contemplate that good and terrible day

is because I know

a few days later there was

a mind-blowing, miraculous Sunday—

…Resurrection Sunday!

 

The disciples didn’t have

the advantage I have—

They didn’t understand

life after death

couldn’t comprehend

atonement for sin

just didn’t get it

that their teacher and friend, Jesus

could die upon a cross

for the sins of the world

They didn’t realize

they were in the middle of miracles

Didn’t know the future—

Sure, they may have read portions of the Scrolls

but they didn’t have the whole wonderful Book

The ending wasn't written yet!

                                                         

I do have the whole Book

I’ve read ahead

and studied the pages      

I know that what follows

the Good Friday story

is the victorious hope-giving

hallelujah happy ending

 

I know my sins are forgiven

know I’m going to live forever

Yes, I know what happened next

and that makes all the difference

 

Maude Carolan Pych

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

by Maude Carolan Pych

is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com