The Nails

Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution. When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing."

Luke 23:32-34

Friday
I am imagining the soldier
who drove the nails,
clambering around or stretching
to reach the hands,
trying to avoid seeing
the face and the eyes,
ignoring the eternal life line
dividing the palms
from fingers down to wrists,
glimpsing the lips
moving silently,
mouthing words not meant 
for ears to hear.
And I'm wondering
how many keepers of reliquaries
claim to own those nails,
or perhaps even the letter home
written by the nailer
or some other soldier ordered
later to do his duty
and pull them out.
                     Warren L. Molton

Jesus could have called down angel armies to save himself, but he accepted death. Who killed Jesus? Didn't he allow the stinking rotten system created by human sin to kill him? Take the hammer in your hand and drive the nail for surely your participation (even through silence) in systemic evil nails Jesus to the cross still. As Woody Guthrie sang, “If Jesus preached today like he preached in Galilee, we'd lay Jesus Christ in his grave.”