J.M.J.
J.M.J.
IN PRAISE AND GLORY
I HAVE WATCHED YOU, MY CHILDREN, AS YOU GREET YOUR KING
WHO OFFERS YOU MORE THAN YOU EVER COULD BRING.
YOUR EYES MAY BE OPEN, BUT YOU SEE NOT HIS FACE;
YOU ACCEPT HIS BODY BUT DO SO IN DISGRACE.
IF DEEP IN YOUR HEART YOU TRULY BELIEVE
THAT THE BODY AND BLOOD OF MY SON YOU RECEIVE,
THEN HOW IN YOUR HEART CAN YOU DEPRIVE HIM RESPECT
BY WITHHOLDING YOUR HOMAGE AND NOT GENUFLECT.
SOME MAY BE LADEN BY THE CROSS THAT THEY BEAR,
AND THEY MAY BE GIVING ALL THEY’RE ABLE TO SHARE.
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY WHOSE BACKS ARE STILL STRONG
AND CAN STILL BEND THEIR KNEE AS IT DOES NOT TAKE LONG.
THOSE WHO ARE BURDENED FROM THE WEIGHT OF THEIR CROSS,
THEY WILL NOT BE JUDGED NOR WILL SUFFER A LOSS.
BUT THOSE WHO ARE ABLE AND WILLINGLY CHOOSE
TO WITHHOLD PAYING HOMAGE, AT THE END THEY WILL LOSE.
IF YOU WERE TO MEET A GREAT DIGNITARY,
WOULD THIS EVENT TO YOU BE JUST ORDINARY?
WOULD YOU NOT PRESENT ALL YOUR BEST COMPLIMENTS
CONSIDERING THE TITLE THAT HIS RANK REPRESENTS?
THEN HOW CAN YOU GREET THE KING OF CREATION
WITHOUT BENDING YOUR KNEE FOR HIS VENERATION?
HOW CAN YOU GIVE TO MY SON ANY LESS
WHEN HE OFFERS TO YOU ALL THAT HE DOES POSSESS?
ARE YOU AFFECTED BY THOSE WHOM YOUR ACTIONS OBSERVE
AND THEREFORE WITHHOLD WHAT MY SON DOES DESERVE?
CONSIDER, DEAR CHILDREN, WHOM YOU’RE TRYING TO PLEASE;
IS IT JESUS, MY SON, OR THOSE WATCHING YOUR KNEES?
HOW MANY MORE TEARS DO I STILL HAVE TO CRY?
HOW MANY MORE TIMES MUST MY SON, JESUS, DIE?
HOW CAN A MOTHER’S HEART NOT BE BROKEN
WHEN YOU RECEIVE MY SON’S BODY AS IF IT WERE A TOKEN?
REMEMBER, DEAR CHILDREN, THAT WHAT YOU GIVE TO THE LORD
FROM THIS YOU WILL REAP YOUR ETERNAL REWARD.
IF YOU WITHHOLD FROM MY SON ALL YOU’RE ABLE TO GIVE,
THEN BY THE STANDARD YOU SET YOU ALSO SHALL LIVE.
“THY WILL BE DONE”
5-1-1996