Devotional by M. McShea – Inspired by Artwork “The Passion Series” by F. Douglas Blanchard

Disclaimer:

The devotional passages below each work of art/image, by the artist F. Douglas Blanchard, reflects my own and not the artist’s written point of view or theological beliefs.

(I see this modern Jesus as an every modern day common man set against what appears to be the current high tech fascist state of the new global culture which says so much to me and in line with the theme of this blog. That overlaid with the standard Jesus story and or myth of history.)

The Passion Series

Devotional by M. McShea

Inspired by Artwork “The Passion Series” 

by F. Douglas Blanchard

  

One (1) – The Son of Man

The purpose of man has always been the myth of man.

The story of man has always been about his potential.

The man, the seed, plants the tree of the future.

The tree of man bears many fruits and abundance.

The family, the tribe, the myth binds the whole.

The whole is the definition of the (us) All.

Two (2) – Jesus Enters the City

The heart of Rome is her cities, her town square,

Her forum speaks the thoughts, feels of the people.

If I have the word and am the word then I must

Speak to the heart of the empire to change what

Is wrong into what is right and spread love of

The word and truth to all culture and peoples.

Three (3) – Jesus Drives out the Money Changers.

I went to pray in the house of stone.

I wanted to meditate on myself and my Deity.

I sought refuge from the outside world of strife.

All I found was the loud clank of chump change

Of priests emptying offering boxes.

I sought refuge and found none. Oh God!

Four (4) – Jesus Preaches in the Temple

The crowd grew hot and sweaty as I spoke.

I told of my dreams, shared fractions of light.

The stir of emotions on long dead stares

Lit up into the eyesight of vision and possibility.

The crowd became too large to carry one voice.

For an exit sign I searched and finally eyed.

Five (5) – The Last Supper

The warmth of the gathering, friends, strangers,

Family distant from the outside weather and

Negative political elements revives soul(s).

The food was cheap and from a warehouse

Doled meagerly to the poor. The spirit was rich

And mellow and full of human life, purpose.

Six (6) – Jesus Prays Alone

Alone I pray, meditate, gather my thoughts.

Focus. Focus on mean possibilities.

Things are harder to do than once I thought.

If I die, who will continue my cause

Who will bring down the temples and chains

Of oppression? Who among them can do it?

Seven (7) – Jesus is Arrested

In a dark city street a group of men descend

From squad cars and on foot. The helicopter

Overhead throws its accusing beam on me.

This was not a random act. This was done

With a heart in service to the evil in men at

Expense of the many without voice or hope.

Eight (8) – Jesus Before the Priests

How dare you think that God listens to you.

Your words, of a country fool, an abomination.

We in the city understand strength, power and

God’s purpose (to serve only us of the cloth).

You have made your last trouble. Too late

To go back. You have made too many enemies.

Nine (9) – Jesus Before the Magistrate

There was a riot in the house of prayer when

You spilled the money changers' tables.

There were deaths in the riot, Rome to our

Rescue. You are to blame. No need for trial.

Emergency powers to protect our freedom.

Death is to you, your poor silly fate.

Ten (10) – Jesus Before the People

The curious have gathered, opposite the square,

From the Hall of Justice. The crowd stares and

Enjoys too I think. They are full of rage towards

The State and they blame me for my failure to

Save them. They scream hate as I am driven

Off, handcuffed in the back of a paddy wagon.

Eleven (11) – Jesus Before the Soldiers

These soldiers are pigs. No rules or dignity

To any prisoners. Mocking. Slapping.

Down on your knees. Kicking. Spitting.

Obscene nursery rhymes. The taste of blood

From broken teeth pours out of my mouth.

Knives scrap and pull and cut. Pain. Pain.

Twelve (12) – Jesus is Beaten

Dachau. Abu Ghraib. Administrative Detention.

Hands bound and numb tied, held above.

Whips. Lashes. Broom handle’s thrust

Into ribs and private places. No life left

To protect. The State begins to sign off on,  

Decommissioning, a failed citizen of the State.

Thirteen (13) – Jesus Goes to His Execution

The long dark corridor from cell block A to B

Seem miles apart, full of regret, pain and numbness.

The greater vision lost in the smell of blood,

Sweat, urine, breath.  A momentary pause.

Turn the corner. Unlock a new door. Further

Along closer to death and final relief – release.

Fourteen (14) – Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

The execution is televised. A traitor will die.

Strapped to a piece of wood. A needle, piercing

steel set in place, hands and feet bound. A

signal given. Death takes its time to flow from

from head to toe. How strange. They can kill me.

I conquer life in death. Vision fades to black.

Fifteen (15) – Jesus Dies

A roar unheard from the couch potato audience.

Time for a new round of Pepsi, corn chips and

Don’t forget to flush. Commentary talking heads

Continue. Active crowds outside the prison gates.

And among the many a few – who did for Jesus

Cry that day a grand but simple tear.

Sixteen (16) – Jesus is Buried

The criminal’s body is the property of the State.

A bribe to inquire whom of many else to bride

In the coroner’s office to release a dead body.

No time to clean the body or do rituals, prayers.

A rich donor has bestowed the bribe money and

Quick burial before the State can change its mind.

Seventeen (17) – Jesus Among the Dead

On the new global spreadsheet I am nothing,

Not even a true number, even as a commodity

I only have a temporary value, mere slave of

Market place whim, taste, greed and profit.

As a whisper in my mind I have value.

I am (was) a Man. I am (was) a Human Being!

Eighteen (18) – Jesus Rises

The light within doth shine. The maker of me

Does not hide from me. I am thought and love.

I am not animal but man. The thought of me,

The essence of me was brought out by my

Creator. I cannot die. I live. I breathe. I love.

I am. I am who am. I am all mankind.

Nineteen (19) – Jesus Appears to Mary

With distant love I beheld you and wanted

Your aching, grasping, loving arms to embrace.

I had another purpose and I flew from your

Desire. Desire in me was no less but desire for

All others created such stress. Your fulfillment

In me goes beyond a body of me, (we are) soul.

Twenty (20) – Jesus Appears at Emmaus

The real me perhaps never really sat down

With you. I was another person with another

Face, another fate other than some mate you

Meet with over coffee.  My regrets of not

Being a simple man are now satisfied. I am

Grateful that you see the real me in me.

Twenty One (21) – Jesus Appears to his Friends

A symphony of relief. A cloud of grief

Is lifted. I went beyond the veil and return

For a while till I fade from simple view and

Memory. Touch me. See my wounds of life,

Scars of death. It was all a dream but really

Not a dream. More like some Greek tragedy.

Twenty Two (22) – Jesus Returns to God

Cannot linger. I from beyond the veil must

Remain behind the veil. Otherwise effort

Is lost without the purpose of searching.

Life is a search, a quest. And in the end

It all drowns away into silence, warmth,

Love. Returning to the womb of God.

Twenty Three (23) – The Holy Spirit Arrives

Purpose. Purpose. My sword of light is

Focus and flight among the weak who

Cannot travel by foot, or see with eyes

Or think beyond the grunge of day to

Day living. Arise. Awake. See. See as

He saw. Be of like mind and purpose.

Twenty Four (24) – The Trinity

Before purpose and energy and light of

Creation I was and still am. I remain the

Same. Where there is life, there is God.

Spark and breath, heartbeat of Creation,

Of and with purpose and flow in union

w/Sacred Wisdom’s milk, energy, life...

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