WE KNEW HIM

                        still we slew Him

                        the Messiah, the Saviour

                        It was our sinful behavior

                        He came to redeem.

                        The Jewish Sanhedrin made a hasty,

                        unwise "save face" political decision

                        and even then there was much division,

                        Judas betrayed him for a sack of silver,

                        his disciples fled and denied him

                        the Romans drove in the nails.  .  .

                                    Where does guilt lie?

                        We called him fanatic, radical, dreamer

                        We laughed, scorned, mocked

                        We denied, despised, crucified

                                    the Christ.  .  .

                        From the very beginning this was

                        His purpose, His destiny;

                                    His Passion.  .  .

                        loving us, forgiving us, setting us free     

                        .  .  .but we failed to see

                        In Gethsemane's dark hour

                        he still retained the power

                        to refuse the humiliation, the suffering.

                        A hundred thousand angels

                        stood ready to save him;

                        yet he bowed his head, yielded his spirit,

                        "Father, your will, not mine be done"

                        We thought we knew him

                                    still we slew him

                        but it was Love that drew Him. 

                                     ---written by Kathleen