Mary of Bethany

He came at last, but too late for healing My brother for days, sealed up behind stone My heart grieved between riot and reeling With a shout he healed, gave life to these bones. Now from my alabaster heart, broken Pours the fragrant passion of love and life Upon his feet, a running devotion For my savior bearing my sin and strife. But worse than I feared my king did for me Faced death in silence as a Pascal Lamb My stone-heart breaks again, tears flow free Is there yet hope for this child of Abraham? My treasure now in a stone vial is sealed Awaiting a breaking when love is revealed.

© Randy Edwards 2017. Artwork: woodcut for "Die Bibel in Bildern", 1860 by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794–1872). #poetry #sonnet #christianity #lent