Poetry: Challenged on the Mount of Olives

“Lord, should we fight with our swords?” One of them struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. Jesus responded, “Stop! No more of this!” He touched the slave’s ear and healed him.” –Luke 22:50-52, CEB

Touched by our Lord

and miraculously healed,

did this servant continue

to obey the high priest

or was he changed

to serve a new master?

With our world in crisis

can we, like Jesus,

courageously command,

“No more of this violence!

This is not The Way

to deal with fear”?

And having been touched

challenged and healed

by the teachings of Jesus

can we claim new power

to face chaos and death

without a sword?

Ruth Naylor

Poet + Author