Easter Poem – Surprised by a Styrofoam Jesus

I’m republishing an old poem–with a new audio reading–to inspire people during holy week.

Too often, I think American Christians can’t be surprised by Jesus anymore. We are caught up in the industry of church, and we need someone to turn over the tables of the money changers.

I’m not saying all Christian businesses are bad. I’m not condemning the Christian publishers or radio and broadcast people. But we must hold ourselves to a higher standard than the world. We must constantly remember the paradox of engaging our culture in a language it understands but still seeking first the Kingdom of God. Click on the gabcast widget to hear me give a brief intro and read the poem. Or just read it yourself. Happy Easter everyone.

Easter

I found Jesus in the shower
behind the church pulpit
in the green room built for brides.
I don’t know why he was there
his Styrofoam self crucified, crooked
against tiles, one arm poking past
the creased anti-mildew curtain.

He must have been part of a catalogue
package deal–between advent candles
and bulk host–Buy the cross,
get the Jesus. The cross
someone painted faux wood
and mounted stage left,
empty “because Jesus rose.”
The Styrofoam Jesus, no one painted.
His grimace a ghostly bleached white
waits in that back room for someone
like me to notice while standing to pee
Jesus Christ! in the shower.

(I first posted this poem on my old blog. Then it was published in Geez #3. Someday, I should move all of that content over here.)

Tagged as: Christian, christianity, Crucifixion, Easter, Holy Week, Jesus, Jesus Christ, poem, poetry, Religion and Spirituality