Jesus and the Rejected, a Poem

Those who look down on others God has regarded with disfavor,
But Christ has inhabited the brown skin of the oppressed.

Those who assume their right to rule,
God will pull out the rug from under them,
And the people of the earth will eat at the table as family.

Those who use scripture to keep others in subservience,
God shines the light on their corruption
And gives dignity, honor and power 
to the mothers, daughters, sisters.

Those who shame and demonize, punish and exclude,
will either be changed or die in their vitriol,
But God calls his beloved out of dark closets.

Those who exploit and pollute the earth
with no thought for tomorrow will reap the earth's fury,
But those who care for the land and waters
will live in peace upon it.

Those who wield the power of hate and mistrust
will die by the guns they cling to,
But Jesus sacrificed himself to die as a criminal.

Those who would rule in the name of a Christian nation
are toppled by the Christ they claim,
But the church of the humble will serve all peoples.

Those who motivate by fear and control
will fade away into oblivion
But the kingdom of love will never end.

Those who clutch their fig leaves the tightest
will be exposed and shamed,
But the vulnerable will stand in their truth.

Those who claim to be invincible 
will crumble and slink away,
But the marginalized will step forward in courage,
shoulder to shoulder with their siblings.
With joy, freedom and determination,
they will fill the earth with the song of love.

by Celeste Boudreaux, November 2022

***Inspired by the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6:20-26***

Next post: Labyrinth Song