Today’s poem was written in response to a charcoal drawing that artist Hannah Pabón created as a part of a community art project curated by the Almond Tree Artist Collective’s exhibit “Another Way of Seeing.”
Hannah’s painting, “He Wept” is a tableau drawn from the many pictures that filled the media following the invasion of the Ukraine in February of 2022. Her response to the news of the invasion and the images of those suffering reminded her of Jesus weeping before the tomb of Lazarus. The tears of Jesus and the tears of those grieving over their loss and suffering at the hands of others moved her to compassion.
When I first saw Hannah’s painting, my eye was drawn to one detail of her drawing which depicts a mother and child. I am still deeply moved by it. The image reminded me of a quote from Eugene Peterson in his book, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, which continues to fuel my imagination. Peterson says that we are not alone in our grieving. The tears which Jesus cried on the cross served a purpose. In speaking of our tears and how they connect with Jesus’, Peterson writes, “All these tears are gathered up and absorbed in the tears of Jesus.”
“All these tears are gathered up and absorbed in the tears of Jesus.”
— Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places
Hannah’s compassion for those suffering in the Ukraine inspired her to make. What she made in turn, inspired me. The poem I wrote in response to her drawing is a poem of three scenes from the Bible in which tears are mentioned. They range from King David’s words in Psalm 42 to Jesus’ tears at the tomb of Lazarus, to Mary Magdalene’s tears at the tomb on Easter morning. The final scene directs attention to us and our tears.
I am very grateful to Hannah for sharing her artwork, and I encourage you to check out her art and follow her on Instagram which is linked here in the podcast’s notes. (You may also visit her website HERE.)
This poem is titled, Jesus Wept.
I. King David All day long my tears have been my food; I feast on groans; see not one thing good While men scoff all day, laugh at me, “Where is your God?” they ask mockingly. How long it has been since I leaped Coming to Your House, with tears of joy, wept? II. Lazarus Would he, indignant over a friend who died, Who before his tomb broke down and cried, Would he, who is resurrection and life, Though pierced by death with grief as a knife, Would his tears gather up and keep The tears of all those who mourn and weep? III. Mary Magdalene Mary, before dawn, went to the tomb To do for him the last thing she could do For the one whom she loved, who had set her free Who on Friday died, cursed, hanged on a tree. The tomb emptied, not one thing left, Leaving Mary only the tears she wept. Then from behind she heard him speak, “Why are you crying? Whom do you seek?” Blinded by tears, she sobbed, “I can’t find him. Have they taken my Lord, stole him again?” When he said, “Mary,” her heart leaped, And she saw through the veil of tears she’d wept. IV. You and I What of us? What shall be done with the tears We’ve wept? Who shall quiet the storm of fears? Shall our tears too be caught up and swept Away in the tears the Lord Jesus wept? Yes, every tear, till not one’s left, For our tears are those for whom Jesus wept. © Randall Edwards 2023
Music: Наталія Ляшик, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Found HERE.
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