The Lamb Upon the Cross

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Resurrection Day

Image credit: harvestministries.com

WHAT'S THIS I SEE?

What's this I see in a feeding trough?

A lamb asleep in a bed of straw

without any blemish to behold…

the Lamb deserves a crown of gold

What's this upon crossbeams, I see?

A lamb impaled…sacrificially!

I fall to my knees before His Grace—

the Lamb looks down. I see God's face

From lintels stained with blood of lambs

to the Cross that saves from being damned—

the whole Word holds a mystery…deep!

Blood of the Lamb has saved His sheep

All glory to our Paschal Lamb

Messiah, Son of the great I AM

Who from that humble bed of straw

became our Savior…We bow in awe!

Maude Carolan

The above poem appears in my new book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" Elm Hill Press. It is available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. For more information go to http://maudecarolanpych.com

I'll be reading Lenten poems from my book:

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

Monday evening at 6:30

at the Totowa Library

537 Totowa Road, Totowa, NJ.

and I'll be available to sign copies.

Come, I'd love to meet you!

Admission is free.

Refreshments will be served.

(Enter and park in the rear.)

"Sometimes I Wish..."

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Resurrection Day

SOMETIMES I WISH…

A Prayer of Thanksgiving to my Savior

How can I tell

how can I show

how grateful I am

that You are my Savior?

Sometimes I wish

it were possible to

leave the roast in the oven

the suds in the sink

and follow my heart’s cry

to the land of the Bible

to climb Calvary’s hill

in beautiful Zion

Oh! If it were possible—

I’d fall to my knees

at the foot of the Cross

and wrap my arms tightly

‘round its stained wooden base

and press a trembling cheek

against the old splintered grain

and thank You for Love

so wide and so deep

beyond what I can fathom

then I’d kiss it and weep

kiss it and weep

and whisper, I love You

from the depths of my being

for I’m eternally grateful

Jesus, My Lord

Maude Carolan Pych

The above poem appears in my new book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" Elm Hill Press. It's available at Amazon & Barnes & Noble. For more information, go to http://maudecarolanpych.com

It's Not a Pretty Sight...It's Beautiful

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Resurrection Day

Image credit: christfc.net

BEAUTIFUL

It’s not a pretty sight -

It’s beautiful.

            Crimson streaming

            From His crown

                        Hands,

                                    Side,

                                                Feet,

            Onto my head,

                        Flowing down my face,

                                    Over my body,

                                                Covering my feet,

                                                            Making me whiter than snow.

It’s not a pretty sight -

It’s beautiful.

            It’s agony.

            He calls for His Father,

            Writhes, gasps, thirsts.

                        Oh, the weighty burden

                        Of sin upon the Sinless One,

                                    The world’s,

                                                Mine,

                                                            Yours.

            Agony,

            Ushering the covenant of salvation -

                        The world’s,

                                    Mine,

                                                Yours.

It’s not a pretty sight -

It’s beautiful.

            It is finished.

            They take Him down

                        From the good and terrible Cross.

            Hastily,

                        They place Him in the tomb.

            Securely,

                        They seal the rolling stone.

                        They guard His grave

                                    In awesome,

                                                Tremulous,

                                                            Expectant

                                                                        Stillness.

It’s not a pretty sight -

It’s beautiful.

            His Body, gone.

                        Gone!  With power

                        In one resplendent moment -

                        Seal unsealed,

                                    Stone rolled,

                                                Earth jolted on its axis.

                        Angels appear, hallowing -

                                    Alleluia!  Alleluia!

                                                He is risen!

                                                            We live

                                                            Because He lives.

                                                                                    Oh! He is beautiful.

                                                                                    Beautiful.

Maude Carolan

Note: The above poem appears in my new book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" Elm Hill Press. The book is available at Amazon & Barnes & Noble. For more information click on http://maudecarolanpych.com

What is Truth?

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Resurrection Day

Image credit: standstrongministries.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

The above poem appears in my new book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!"  Elm Hill Press. It's available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For information go to http://maudecarolanpych.com.

He Bore Our Sins...

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Resurrection Day

Image credit: youtube.com

HE REFUSED

They mocked

and struck and spat and stripped

and drove spikes

through His hands and feet.

One offered wine and myrrh

to take the pointed edge

off the Excruciation.

The Savior

peered down

through kind, hot eyes,

pursed His parched lips

and shook His bleeding head.

He chose...chose!

to bear the fullness

of the sin

that nailed Him

to those crude

crossed beams;

chose to drink

the brimming chalice dry,

chose to pay the full price,

without bargain or barter,

without wholesaling

or discounting

or quibbling

or niggling it

of its terrible,

priceless

Value.

Maude Carolan

Note: The above poem appears in my new book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" Elm Hill Press. It's available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. For information, click on http://maudecarolanpych.com.

I will be reading from my new book and signing copies at the Totowa Library, 537 Totowa Road, Totowa, NJ, Monday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m. There is parking in the rear. Refreshments will be served. Come and be sure to say, "Hello!."

"A Poem for Lent"

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Resurrection Day

Image credit: heatonkent.com

A POEM FOR LENT

I scan Google Images

looking for a depiction of the Crucifixion

to illustrate a Lenten poem on my blog

I’m unable to look squarely at the pictures—

Many are so heart-wrenching, so gruesome

I have to turn away

I think of the four Gospels

providing matter-of-fact statements

to tell us Jesus was crucified

sparing us details

of His suffering

Oh, I’m well aware

it is 2000 years later

and no holds are barred

when it comes to portrayals of violence

I go to the movies

I watch TV

I’ve squirmed through

The Passion of the Christ

with my heart beating fast

and eyes tightly closed

during the bloodiest sequences

I’ve read A Doctor at Calvary[1]

in which each and every stain

on the Shroud of Turin

is elaborated upon

in minute medical detail

I do not need

more graphic words and pictures

My mind’s eye sees

His thorn-crowned Head

His nail-pierced hands

My mind’s ear hears

Father, forgive them…

            …why hast Thou forsaken Me?

It is finished.

My mind’s heart

feels His agony

At last, I click on an image—

a crossbeam, a circle of thorns

and three nails

I post it on the blog

insert my poem

and shudder

a most grateful shudder

that Jesus, my beloved Savior

endured that terrible Cross

for me

Maude Carolan Pych

---

[1] A Doctor at Calvary by Pierre Barbet, M.D., published by Image Books, a division of Doubleday & Co., Inc., Garden City, NY

Note: The above poem appears in my new book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" Elm Hill Press. For ordering information, go to: maudecarolanpych.com

Announcement:

I'll be reading from my new book

Monday, March 9, 6:30 p.m.

at the Totowa Library

537 Totowa Road, Totowa, NJ

(Parking in rear)

Refreshments will be served.

"It Pleased the Lord to Crush Him"

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Resurrection Day

IT PLEASED THE LORD TO CRUSH HIM[1]

When I applied stinging iodine

to the tender knees of my children

or a corrective spank

or a hug to assuage a broken heart

I remember that

their wounds, hurts

even the chastisements

probably wounded me more than them –

Why, I would've become a she-lion

poised to pounce and mangle

bruisers of my own –

yet the very God I know as Love

was pleased to crush

was delighted to bruise[2]

His Very Own

So, I shudder, convinced

God's ways are infinitely higher

than my finite mind can grasp –

for God stayed His almighty hand

held His almighty tongue

waited it out in His Heaven

pleased, even delighted

to give His Only Son

innocent, docile as a lamb

to be mocked, bruised, spat upon

crowned with thorn branches

stripped and nailed naked to a tree –

yes, pleased and delighted was He

as the Most Precious Blood

of His Only Son

rained like rubies

upon the ground

Pleased and delighted am I

that the God Who so loves

crushed and bruised

His Very Own

for me

Maude Carolan

---

[1] Isaiah 53:10 "New American Standard Bible"

[2] Isaiah 53:10 "Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible"