He bore the heavy cross despite the pain.
And did He trudge and stumble in the rain?
It took His earthly strength to stand the strain.
Though in His mind, did Christ the man complain?
‘Twas more than any human could sustain,
But by His love, he took our guilt and shame.

With stripes upon His back, He carried shame.
And did He think to wallow in the pain?
I can’t imagine all Christ did sustain!
O as He walked, did teardrops fall like rain?
His human mind, it may perhaps complain,
But by His love, Christ rose beyond the strain.

What fortitude it cost to bear the strain!
And who would take another’s sin and shame?
His destiny it was; did He complain?
O who for anyone could stand such pain!
The earth shook, and the sky began to rain,
But by His love, the Savior could sustain.

A living hell did Christ the King sustain!
And did He ever crumble from the strain?
Now every year the sky is filled with rain
To clear the air of sinners’ guilt and shame.
Was there a consolation in His pain?
Yet by His love, the Lord could not complain.

I’m sure that, in His place, I would complain,
And even faith I hardly could sustain.
I cannot fathom all His depth of pain!
Profoundly though, He took on every strain
And great despair, erasing people’s shame!
And by His love, compassion fell like rain!

Now each Good Friday, clouds release the rain,
And as His children, we cannot complain.
The King of Kings who took away the shame
Did go through more than we could e’er sustain.
Did Jesus, as a man, resent the strain?
As by His love, He washed away the pain.

As brothers shame is nothing to sustain!
When we complain, just think, He took our strain.
And by His love, the rain renews. No pain!

—
A Good Friday
Sestina.

Wishing you a blessed and happy Easter weekend!

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