Crosses

Crosses stand against a gray sky, seen by all of those who pass by.

Cruel imperial creation, made for full humiliation.

From such there is no escaping, fear and acquiescence shaping.

Hear the spite and mocking shaming, crowds caught up in fear and blaming.

 

Crosses, meant for pain unyielding, power imperial now wielding, 

Here become a scene of wonder where such power is torn asunder.

Jesus hangs there, bruised and bleeding, in our lives now interceding.

One who dies there for his nation, seeking only our salvation.

 

Crosses could not thwart his love new; to his final breath he stayed true.

We behold in awe and wonder as our bonds are torn asunder.

You who gave so to regain us, may your Spirit now sustain us, 

So that, in your love undying, we might live, all sin defying.

 

Crosses now abound around us, though their uses may confound us:

Waving like a sign of empire, wielded with such anger and fire.

God forbid! Does this not grieve you? Do they think this will deceive you?

May we never so betray you or so falsely thus display you.

 

Crosses now are not for hatred, lest our God's own grace be wasted; 

Not for God's whole world reviling, nor for lists of wrongs compiling;

But for steadfast love revealing, and the power of sin repealing.

Let this cross be now the token of God's love that is not broken.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2022.

MUSIC: Tune SCHMÜCKE DICH, Johann Crüger, 1649.

 

 

Aside from a reference to John 11:49-50 in stanza 2, this is not bound to any particular scripture on the Passion. It is a reflective text, on what crosses were used to do then and what they sometimes are used to do now. The first three stanzas might stand OK for a hymn on their own, but I hope the fourth and fifth stanzas will be heard.