Cross Carried Calm
by Br. Francis, CFR

Cross carried calm
  soldiers with strong arm,
  whip and beat the man, unjustly tried.

Bruised, beaten, battered,
  on faces, blood is splattered,
  while Pharisees, behind the crowd, hide.

Mad men mock,
  Jesus, dashed on rock,
  is fixed upon the tree and lifted up.

Man's mercy mountain,
  is now a living fountain,
  on your knees, drink deeply from this cup.

Stripped, slashed, slaughtered,
  humanity now altered,
  nothing now will ever be the same.

Heart, hands, head,
  now hang dead,
  but on my lips, alive, his holy name.

Dead, dropped down,
  upon Mary's gown,
  more her sorrow than man has ever known.

Grief grows great,
  with three days wait,
  no greater love than this was ever shown.