Liturgy
of the Passion - Poems for the Passion of Christ
Isaiah
50:4-9a
(Mark 7:31-36)
O
Lord, Our God!
Loosen
our tongues and
teach us how to share thy speech,
opening ears and hearts
even as Christ healed the deaf,
"Ephphatha"
- be opened, he cries.
Awaken
within us the desire to heal,
feeding the tired at heart with a single word
sustained by the love of Christ.
Thou art gracious Lord.
We, who waste away thy gifts,
call upon thy mercy.
Turn our sorrow into strength,
repair the years and mend our bones
broken by grief,
filling us with they steadfast love.
Thou,
who art our God.
Teach
us to serve thy people,
help us to see thy shining face
in the face of others,
and to know thy everlasting love.
O Lord most high,
create in us the mind of Christ our Savior,
renew our spirits with righteousness.
Finish in us thy form and image,
letting our imperfections, make perfect our
compassion.
That we may become servants of
thy Holy Kingdom,
as knees bend, tongues confess, and hearts
heal.
Thy hour is near my Lord,
as your body is broken, becoming our bread of
heaven
and as your blood is spilled, to become our wine
of salvation,
help us to remember that we too are called to
serve.
Send thy Angels to strengthen us,
even as we deny thee daily.
Yet, in that denial and in the
mystery of the Eucharist,
we somehow take on thy Crucifixion,
where it becomes branded and scoured on our own
hearts.
Where you have suffered we also
suffer, crying out as you did from the cross.
“Father, forgive us, for we know
not what we do.”
Commend our spirits to thy care,
O Lord!
Make us innocent again, as Christ
is innocent.
R.P. Starbuck
Copyright 2007
Link to the
Revised Common Lectionary, where you can find the scripture lessons for Palm
Sunday, 2007. http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/CLent/cPassionSunday.htm