The Weight of It All

A Poetry Reflection for Good Friday

In Reflection

Author Note: Holy Week is one of my favorite weeks as we reflect on Jesus’ last week on earth, his trial, crucifixion, and especially His resurrection. This is a poem I felt moved to write last year, and it is also published in this poetry anthology (here).

The Weight of It All

Horrifying angst, praying all alone,
Bloody sweat and tears seep before the throne.
A God-shaped rescuer, sent in human form;
Heavy sin atonement is why You were born.

Where is your help? Sleeping off their grief,
The dark night vigil too difficult to keep--
Awake? No, they slumber, as all heaven is a’rumble.
Soon resolve will tumble and human friends crumble.

Alas, this night is darker than any other scene!
Only on the Father may You fully lean.
The weight of this sacrifice can’t remain unseen,
You set your face like flint, knowing what it means.

To bring us home to heaven, a place we don’t deserve,
En route to future glory, you might’ve made a swerve--

But you won’t! The mist descends, cold earth and rock surround,
Angels come to strengthen as you push up off the ground;
Bolstered in resolve and the future Father’s crown,
You accept this plan in motion as disciples gather round.

The will of the Father foremost in your mind,
Self-preservation surrendered for this time.
To drink the cup of wrath for all of humankind
Torches in the distance bring the Father’s sign…


(The crowd will jeer and leer and spear;
For His name, you’ll persevere…)


And bear the separation, agony and pain, 
Lifted beside criminals, “TETELESTAI!”, slain!

All the world is heaving, unbalanced with the sifting,
The dark of blackest day will not soon be lifting.
Your friends will be drifting before the curtain’s rifting.
Earth will absorb this violent act of shifting…


Oh Lord, have mercy! We are left undone
Drop to our knees at this sacrifice from your Son

How do we appreciate such a wondrous show of love,
How to assimilate all that you have done?

How can we thank you anew for cleansing us? 
For doing what we couldn’t do, 
for loving us that much?
Can the love I have for you EVER be enough?

I bow under Your weighty gift of eternal grace and love.

For Worship:

*Photo by Cdoncil on Unsplash