First it tried to kill him in the slaughter of the innocents.
And though that failed, things were tolerable for a time—
Until he started preaching and doing mighty works
That proved he was really something.
Then the world tried for a brief time to argue against him,
But that just made things worse because it gave him
Opportunity to expose their lies and ignorance all the more.
So it tried to silence him by murder.
And when finally that worked out for them, it failed,
For yet again, having powers they did not understand,
He seized the opportunity to advance his kingdom.
So then the world went after his apostles and their followers
Until that generation was gone.
And since then what happens mostly is that the world
Either pretends that Jesus did not exist,
Or pretends away the parts in the record that it does not like,
And refashions the Jesus of the Bible into its own image,
Worshiping themselves in their modern-day temples
And doing it, most twistedly, in Jesus’ own name.
And I think that either they do not really understand
That they will eventually have to face him about that—
On his own terms and on his own turf
And surrounded by the faithful hordes who were willing
To let him be the Master he is—
Or that they know it and are
Simply so brazen as not to care.
