The Word Silenced
In the beginning the Word- spoke
Before creation broke
Light breaks distinct in darkness,
Farthest reaches of reality illuminate as
Word creates space, life, land and sea
All that is- and is coming to be
The Word speaks, spoke
Evoked man from dust and woman from man and
“It is good, it is very good!”
Yet while the Word is speaking blessing
Comes the shout and silence of sin
Now within and around and through
All that the Word Spoke was true
Now deceived
The Word speaking, seeking, calling to retrieve
Aleve the curse, reverse
The disordered lies, the disordered lives
The Word spoke, speaks promise
Foretells the plan to restore God and man
The Word spoke hope, covenant, land children and shalom
Exodus from slavery, all of life for others identity,
Law to form towards love, justice, what is right,
The Word spoke judges, prophets, kings
The Word spoke the poetry of praise, the longings of lament,
The certainty of a new day, a new way
And when the Word spoke all there was to say,
The Word wrapped its heavenly linguistics, its eternal syllables, its symphonic wisdom and truth
In flesh- in blood and bone and skin, in smiles and tears and laughter- in flesh
Enmeshed in the mess of not the way it ought to be
The Word, now flesh providing light for all to see
Water for those who thirst, a shepherd to guide the lost
A path for peace, a door to open, a Father’s arms for prodigals to find warm embrace, tangible grace felt
The Word in flesh knelt, wrote hope in dust
Washed dirt and past from feet of followers
The Word spoke the Kingdom on earth as it is and will be
The Word spoke and speaks for the far off but not forgotten
To return, to repent, to rejoice
The leaders raged revolt at what the Word spoke and still speaks
Counter cultural invitation caused concern- potential calamity
The empire decreed- silence...
The Word who spoke, now struck
The Word who hoped, now hung
The Word who prayed and praised and proclaimed, now pierced
The Word who whispered life, now exhaled death
“It is finished”
The Word spoke
Words that once created every now
Now lifted up for a moment
Then descended into
The womb shaped tomb
Of darkness
Of grave
Of silence
Will Vucurevich
I have practiced using the Psalms as prayers through different times of struggle, grief, injustice, and pain. Psalm 143 gave voice to the desperate prayers whispered during a series of unjust events I have faced.