“THE SACRIFICE”: Walking the Way of the Cross with George Herbert
by Stephen Noll:
I became a Christian 57 years ago. Among those who witnessed to me at that time was a college friend, Ken Hovey, who shared with me the love of the English poet George Herbert (1593-1633). Ken, who went on to be a professor of English, devised a dramatic reading of Herbert’s long narrative poem, “The Sacrifice.” I have performed this dramatic reading on several occasions in church in Holy Week.
This poem essentially tells the story of the Passion from Gethsemane to Jesus’ Death. My college friend Ken discovered there are two voices in this poem: a narrator and a commentator. The two-fold character of this poem reflects the full significance of Jesus’ saving work. The narrative voice tells the story the way the synoptic Gospels themselves tell it. After Gethsemane, Jesus no longer speaks in parables about fulfilling prophecy. Strengthened through the “agony” of prayer, He sets His face to the Cross and remains silent in the face of unjust accusations. The commentator’s is the voice of Deity held back, the voice of Prophecy falling into place, the voice of Wisdom speaking from the whirlwind in a cloud of Paradox, what St. Paul will call the scandal and folly of the Cross.
In this retelling of the Passion story, you in the [online] congregation are asked to participate in the Way of the Cross by joining in a chorus, asking rhetorically “Was ever grief like mine?” By joining the chorus, you may recall that Jesus’ death is not simply an historical fact of 2000 years ago – it is that to be sure – but beyond that, it is an event with ongoing significance and power, which we are called to participate in. By joining the interrogative chorus, we also remember that the Gospel is a continuing mystery for us to ponder for ourselves and to proclaim to all peoples.
At two points, you will notice a change in the refrain to: “Never was grief like mine!” The first of these emphatic statements comes after the cry: “My God, My God…” The second comes at the end when “all is finished.” These are the moments of deepest mystery, when the Son expresses his utter alienation from the Father; and when with His dying breath He explains why such alienation was His chosen business: “My woe, man’s weal.” It is all for us and it is enough.
Read also: DYING AND RISING WITH GEORGE HERBERT ON “EASTER WINGS”
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