It all came to this.

A Good Friday Reflection

To help you in a time of reflection this Good Friday, I’m sharing a poem written by one of my tutors at the London School of Theology. Professor Matthew Knell specialises in historical theology and is supporting me throughout my dissertation.

This beautiful poem is written from the perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus and is shared with Matt’s permission.

It all came to this.

To these heavy steps towards a tomb

Companions sharing my distress

No mother should tread a path like this

To tend the body of her son

Light of my life, light for the world

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

From that wondrous day so long ago

An angel came, declaring favour

The Spirit’s power conceiving life

In me, so young, so unprepared

A son to reign on David’s throne.

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

A lowly birth away from home

Yet crowds of angels celebrated

Shepherds sent to seek a Saviour

Magi from the East with gifts

So much to ponder for his mother.

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

A precious child to nurse and feed

To teach, to watch him live and grow

In foreign lands, then home again

With few signs of the promise save

The Temple, in his ‘father’s house’.

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

His earthly father training him

In carpentry, a job for life

Accepted in the town although

They knew not who he was to be

Those promises were made to me.

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

He left home for the Jordan River

John baptised him there with water

Heaven opened, the Spirit came

A voice declared him Son of God

The seed of promise bearing fruit.

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

Twelve he chose as closest friends

A mother thrilled to see them bond

Yet many more were in the crowd

A swell of admiration grew

And I was one who followed him.

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

Such miracles we saw performed

With bread, with wind, with healing touch

Such teaching we had never heard

Authority in all he said

My boy, Messiah, mighty one

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

He set out for Jerusalem

With strange words of impending death

We knew not what he meant by this

The kind to be, we came to crown

Hosanna sang in tone triumphant.

And yet it came to this.

It all came to this.

He hung before me on a cross

And spoke to me, still cared for me

My child in wretched agony

I watched him die, his head hang down

Hope of nations, beloved son.

And yet it came to this?

It all came to this.

To these heavy steps towards a tomb

Companions sharing my distress

No mother should tread a path like this

To tend the body of her son

Light of my life, light for the world

And yet it came to this.

Matthew Knell