When Struck By Faith And Sorrow Poem by Donal Mahoney

Luke 23: 6-43


Nailed to a Cross
between two thieves
the Son of God
heard one thief say
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us! ”
something Christ
chose not to do.
He came to die for
thieves and us.

Christ turned instead
and heard the other thief
ask the angry one
a question few of us
might want to answer
amid the chaos that
surrounds us now.

“Do you not fear God…? ”
the good thief asked.
'This man has done
nothing wrong…”
and then he turned
to Christ and said
“Remember me when you
come into your kingdom.”

Christ told the good thief
who had not denied him
thrice like Peter
“Today you will be
with me in Paradise.”
Christ showed two thieves
and the rest of us the last
are first when struck
by faith and sorrow.