Golgotha

"They do not know what they are doing" 
They do not know?  They ...who killed Jesus?
Who is "they"?

It is so easy to name others
to blame others 
the Romans 
the crowd 
Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas 
they all played their part 
and conspired against Jesus 
or simply followed orders to maintain the peace
to keep Jesus' kingdom from infringing on theirs. 

And yet where are we when Jesus' kingdom infringes on ours? 
on our peace and our order? 
on our prosperity and our security?

Where are we when the victims of our peace cry for justice? 
when those disenfranchised by our order call for compassion?
when the hungry and the lonely beg us to share our prosperity 
     our security 
     our power? 
Where are we when Christ is crucified among us? 

Surely he should have raged 
at the sinners who nailed him to the tree.
Surely he should have raged at us for the evil we do,
the evil we do both knowing and unknowing,
Yet compassion is there in the first words that he utters
He intercedes for us before the Father.

Compassion that called him into being in his mother's womb 
Compassion that compelled him to the cross 
Compassion that brings incredible, unbelievable grace
Compassion that echoes through the centuries 
     to all who participate in the killing of Christ: 
Compassion that cries out from the cross: 
     "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing"

_{Who Crucified my Lord? by Rev. Richard & Charlene Fairchild}

^{Artwork: “Why Have You Forsaken Me?” by the Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman}