"Slay me, Redeem me"

σκληρον σοι προς κέντρα λακτιζειν

The Slaying of the Sinner (composed yesterday)

This evening smells of a smoky day--
The battle is lost and the walls gave way.
But it is not over yet, this painful ordeal
Till the mortal is slain to seal up the deal.
'Twas like the wise words of old, when a parent
Or nanny or grandparent, or aunt
Would say, "Don't play with fire or you might get burnt."
Some lessons are simply too hard to be learnt;
Really, none could fault the godly advice--
It's just mortal flesh that falls prey to lies.
Ask of the devil--he gives as he says
But then you'll be running, hiding, all of your days:
The demons' lust is never quenched; they thirst
Also yours, and in your sin they are satisfied first.
Laughing and mocking, you now walk in their ways,
Past the point of no return, and so will you stay:
No more temptation needed--you have conceded the fight
Thrown in the towel, night after night.
Evil becomes you, as you stray further away
From the path that can save you, the Path of Grace.
And though you deny it, your darkness will show
As a candle put out when a strong wind blows
And your life thrown into chaos, a messy disarray.
You go under again, no longer knowing the light of day
And bury yourself in the fires of hell:
"At least it's warm here, with pleasures yet to savour," you tell
Yourself--all that remains in a world growing smaller,
Consumed by your lust in this hour.
This is my testimony, written upon the Word
That alone can sustain all words--the sword
That will kill me, ready to move at my word.
----------------------------------------------------------


All kinds of witches and warlocks came out of the woodwork with their books of spells and incantations and made a huge bonfire of them.

--Acts 19:19a, The Message


"Have I your permission?" said the Angel to the Ghost.
"I know it will kill me."
"It won't. But supposing it did?"
"You're right. It would be better to be dead than to live with this creature."
"Then I may?"
"Damn and blast you! Go on, can't you? Get it over. Do what you like," bellowed the Ghost: but ended, whimpering, "God help me. God help me."

--C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce


"Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."

--Job


What does it mean to repent in dust and ashes?
To die? (dust to dust)
To reach the end of the line, with no more burning passion? (ashes)
To die to sin?
Just to die?

Jesus is Saviour and Ruler/Lord, as they say.
Is he also Slayer and Redeemer?


Today is Hari Raya Aidiladha/Qurban/Haji.

Adha means 'feast';
Qurban refers to Abraham's sacrifice;
Haji refers to the pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca.

Let us be mindful that we are pilgrims on a narrow road,
That our path is the Greatest Sacrifice,
And that our celebration is just beginning.

In spite of tears we will laugh;
When the tears flow most readily, may we laugh most heartily.

Amen.