Jesus comes in from the lights,
takes off his crown.
(You realize there was no halo:
it was the backlighting.)
Undoes all the pins and badges and medals:
Son of God; Messiah; Lord and Savior;
Died for Our Sins I, II, III, and IV
(the committee accepts several atonement theories);
Walks on Water; Miracles One through Twelve;
14-0 against the Pharisees; Best Wine;
1st in Fishing Derby; Best Comeback;
Absolute Ruler of Name Recognition… all of them.
He takes off his gleaming white robe,
chucks the holy sandals—they hurt, after all.
Put on sweats and a t-shirt.
Pops a beer. Looks at the books on the shelf:
theology and doctrine. Smiles, shakes his head.
Sits on the couch. Slouches a little.
Scrolls through pictures on this phone
of the two of you. Closes his eyes.
A moment.
Then
he looks at you
kind of like he looks at Mary Magdalene,
pauses, eye to eye, and says,
“Who do you say I am?”
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
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