Jesus Falls the Third Time, Station IX

Look, you have given me but a hand's breadth or two of life,
the length of my life is as nothing to you.
Every human being that stands on earth is a mere puff of wind,
every human being that walks only a shadow;
a mere puff of wind is the wealth stored away-
no knowing who will profit from it.
So now, Lord, what am I to hope for?...
Psalms, 39(v38):6-7

I Could it be true that we could really know?
And can it be there's reason to desire?
But how could we who follow time's straight wire
to all too common death begin to stow
a concept of the endless timeless flow
of love? Through this eternal glowing fire
is He who is outside all time. Aspire
can we to God, we mortals soon laid low?
But too, it's He who comes to us, it's He
who is true human born and who will share
God's timeless love for all eternity.
For us his humbled self He does not spare.
So here at Calv'ry's foot, my lord, You fall,
viewed by a cynic who now scorns for all.

For Yahweh is angry with all the nations,
enraged with all their hordes.
He has vowed them to destruction,
handed them over to the slaughter.
Their dead will be thrown away,
the stench will rise from their corpses,
the mountains will run with their blood,
Isaiah, 34:2,3

II "And here you fall good bleeding wasted man.
Our glaring sun nears noon. How goes the pain?
It seems these members of your royal train
give not to you their good respect but pan
the thought of your divinely proffered plan.
They prance to speed you on your kingly lane
assuring you an earthly finite reign,
and you so quick to sheol's depths they ban.
The pensive me does wonder, oh mute lamb,
since life is good, why be this paschal tool?
You could have been the victorious ram
and broke the yoke of Roman foreign rule.
The world would hail you then as Caesar's God
as o'er the broken souls your armies trod."

for a blameless man hurried to their defense
Wielding the weapons of his sacred office,
prayer and expiating incense,
he confronted Retribution and put an end to the plague,
thus showing he was your servant,
He overcame Hostility, not by physical strength,
nor by force of arms;
but by word he prevailed over the Punisher,
by recalling the oaths made to the Fathers, and the covenants.
Book of Wisdom, 18:21,22

III "For what good gen'ral is not well recalled
by the good students of salacious war?
For at the conquered are we so appalled
and to the victor do our spirits soar.
Life brings to all a hint of fame- installed
for each a fleeting touch- so what then more
have you to reach? But on you walk enthralled
with martyrdom, and I would ask, what for?
But oh, you cracked the shell that held my heart
and crushed the pieces of my hardened fear,
that I would know that love is who Thou art,
the faithful shepherd who's forever near.
For by the love of God this passion plays,
And through it we shall live for endless days."