Love incarnate came to redeem His creation,
and evil rose like a towering wave of rage
against the Word that was with God from the foundation
and spoken over the waters at the dawn of the age.
Love spoke truth to power and grace to the humble
now He is quiet as insults are spat in His face.
A crown of thorns. A royal robe. Watch Him stumble
under the weight of a crossbeam He chose to embrace.

Love walked here among us and healed the broken.
Now He Himself is broken and crucified
and sometime that afternoon, the final word spoken,
Love breathed a laboured, triumphal breath – and died.
Love attracted and bound the furious hatred
of evil onto Himself and was swallowed by death.
But death could not hold a Love so eternal and sacred
and ripples of earthquakes began which haven’t stopped yet.

God did not hide His face from His Son as He died,
God was in Christ so that we might be reconciled.
Love is at work to teach us to truly live
and if He gave so much, what would He not give?
Love comes between you and evil when it clings to your soul.
and Christ who paid for your freedom is making you whole.
So pause and remember the message of bread and wine:
“I am the Shepherd who paid for your life with mine.”