Rejects

And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” Mark 12:1-11


A Psalm for Wednesday in Holy Week

O Lord, I sit alone rejected
they have seen me and found me wanting
my work and my labor are not enough
my rights and privileges ignored
I cry to you my strength and my defender.

My God, since I was young you held my hand
lifted me up when the tide rose too high
rocked me when tears came overflowing
and sang the songs of love and hope
deep into the night.

The wounds are deep the scars are many
they have left me to fend for myself
I would storm their castle if I could
but no army surrounds me they have gone
abandoned me for another charm.

Wondrous Creator, I sit on the spring grass
and feel the wind on my face
the salt air stirs the life around me
and the ocean roars your tributes.

So I will stay and sing your praises
loud and long at the treasoner's gates
I will celebrate and dance for your love
has not abandoned me has not gone
but is mending me as I sleep safely in your arms.

Only God, round and present with us today
hear the cries of the anguished and abused
speak the words of love to the broken places
help us hear you adore your creation
and no one is turned away or left behind.

Sing the songs again and we will celebrate
we will rise up and dance and honor dance
we will sing and praise you forever and ever.