For all who long for peace.

For all who long for peace . . .

He himself is our peace.

He stood for

storms ceasing

crowds hearing

blind seeing

dead rising

stone-throwers surrendering

their rage.

He cried out for

love for our enemies

forgiveness as a habit

hate to find hope

a desperate people

to hear there is a way.

He challenged

the self-absorbed

self-serving

self-satisfied

self-righteous

who never had ears to hear.

He listened.

He held.

He wept.

He knelt.

He touched.

He commanded.

He could have

belittled

shamed

punished

destroyed

taken

what he deserved.

Instead he received the

mocking

lies

hatred

spittle

blows

thorns

nails

rejection

that should have been ours.

For peace he left heaven.

For peace he lived among

us, held our

brokenness, received

our hate. For peace he laid

down all he could have

demanded. When others raised

fists, he opened

his hands. He held there

all the aching groaning crying

bewildered selfish dying

of all the world, and he

surrendered.

This is where hope

is, through the very end

of things, to the very end of

self, to the one

who is our peace.

He IS the answer.

Drop your stones

and listen.