The Seventh: The Wounded Side

My Saviour, can even your most holy heart be wounded?

Ah! It becomes for all the world and me

the spring of life, so gently and love-filled the blood flows out.

Oh, that my mouth were honored to receive that love.

Even in death it flows and does not wane,

its warmth not wrung from it by death’s last chill.

In His death, it has escaped mortality.

Oh, that I could hide myself within his heart.

My heart, lie down and live within His Life.

Though Life has died, it only died to give

true immortality. Oh, fill the wounds

with love, praise, thanks, unending honour,

loyalty a thousand-fold, and worship.

In faith, bow down and never cease to kiss. 

The Sixth: The Conversion of the Bystanders 

And so, it is fulfilled: the work has now borne fruit.  

Diamond-hard hearts are softened by his blood;

the Holy Spirit’s magnet attracts iron minds;

the sharp Crown of Thorns draws fresh repentance.

We see Him on the cross, believe Him now enthroned

in high divinity just like the Father.

He is Eternal God. Though deathly pale,

appearing as a worm, he is the Son of God.

O Miracle of faith! To cancel curse with blessing,

to seek in the Forsaken One true refuge,

life out of death, comfort for the comfortless

and hope of help from him who underneath his yoke

himself is languishing.  God has ordained  

that He, by suffering all, saves us from all.

The Fifth: The Graves Opening

We must open because we are unlocked

by the World-Redeemer’s death, which is our key.

Resurrection, from within the grave, prepares for victory,

and makes of Death itself the greatest mockery:

it has shot itself with its own arrow.

Death ate itself to death on Life—oh, such a trick!

We, companions of His victory, willingly release

the pawn entrusted to us for a time.

Up, up, you sleepers! Help us rejoice!

The Prince of Life has triumphed; celebration has begun.

Follow the All-Conquering Hero—as in suffering,

so now in glory—to adorn the splendor of his victory.

On Resurrection Day, our mouths will open,

as will the ocean’s throat, and you will rise. 

The Fourth: The Rocks Split

Yes, even were we diamond, we would crack and break.

With never-before-felt fear, a shock, a flash

drives through me, and my hard armor cracks in two.

The sound announces Christ’s death to the world:

He, the True Rock, whom the Romans pierce

brings Heaven’s Honey, Wonder-Wound’s water

and fights for you, rock-strong, with Death and Devil

who take their fierce revenge against His innocence.

What hard hearts must you mortals have!

Were you sired by a snake, suckled by a tiger?

In that case, we would incline to mercy.

Shock reveals the alphabet of heartache

written in dread and haste. Ah, learn from me

how the heart splits with love, remorse, sorrow and thirst.

The Third: The Earthquake

What’s this! I should not merely tremble but explode,

and pour out my heart’s core in sympathy.

I should convulse and shudder in the tumult

of the wind’s groaning as it vaults up from the caverns.

The storm-sword should pierce my heart and soul.

Mountains hide the tempest of wondrous agony

as deepest cliffs conceal the highest eagle-aerie

while Death steals in to murder life.

The word that gave me life, breath that created me,

my soul and source, is dying. Should I not, terrified,

express my agony and sorrow? This quaking is my outcry:

God loves and suffers; dies in every corner of the earth.

And you, who are also of the earth, quake with fear!

The treachery of your sin has now killed Life.

The Second: The Tearing of the Temple Veil

Why should I hide the Holy of Holies any longer,

now that it’s laid bare before all the world?  

The heart of the Holiest burns fiercely with desire   

to reveal itself, to show God’s will.

God’s own blood will not cease flowing       

until, mingled with water, it’s all spilled out.  

Before this flood the glory of the Mercy Seat retreats.

See: here the mind’s plan, there the work fulfilled!

The divine mystery, curtained in darkness    

in metaphors of patriarchs and prophets,      

steps from the shadows under the Sun’s true clarity.

Its breaking-forth has also broken me;           

it tears away all veils of falsehood, reveals the blood

of holy Christ, and the pain of true repentance.