Good Friday

The name of this Friday

and the acts of this day once

upon a time is a paradox --

how is this Friday called Good?

False accusations, the condemnation,

the mockery, the beatings,

the crown of thorns, cross carried,

the crowd now cursing him.

Judas hangs from a tree.

Peter shamed into despair,

Magdalene and his mother

stunned beyond their understanding

and his silence, not defiant

but complete, unnerves everything

until he asks the question 

all who love him hold -- "My God,

why have You forsaken me?"

And the sky splits,

the veil in the Temple tears,

the separation between heaven

and earth -- as in him -- no more.

Among the words forgotten 

are "Follow me."

                       This is what 

not many care to grasp;

the cost of claiming who you are

is paid in this way.

The greatest sin not spoken

of is the denial of who

you are -- live the way he did

and there are guaranteed 

crucifixions. 

                 That's right

crucifixions because there

are multiple resurrections

in a life lived the right way --

to live this life we must die

and rise again.

                     That's why this

Friday is called Good --

it takes us to where we've never been.

-Byron Hoot