And So Our Names Will Be

-photo by Philip Clark-

MY NAME WAS :

Saul

Privileged prodigy from a city by the sea,

Self-Made Man,

A purifier, protector of tradition

And champion of religion;

Ravaging for recognition

Self-deemed avenger and defender,

The Breaker of rebels-

A slave, stuck in centripetal spiral

Of hate born from heritage.

HIS NAME IS :

Messiah

Caller of lost children in the dark

Blinder of light to make men see

Pillager of Pride to bend their knee

And dweller of the deepest places -

King, crowned with martyr blood

To make new men, born of love.

AND SO OUR NAMES WILL BE :

Beloved sons and cherished daughters

We are the encountered,

Those called to be love-followers;

Servants and givers and spenders

Of self-spilling, scandalous, scale shattering, forgiveness -

We who are more than conquerors.