"toward them..."

"...And Jesus went forth
and was moved with compassion
toward them..."
- Matthew


Master,
where are you
going?

The synagogue is in
the other direction
the rabbi is waiting for
us and
you have a message
to deliver

Master,
don't go over there
they are
sick,
halt,
bowed together,
taken with fever,

they are
frightened,
frantic,
their children are hungry,
their eyes are
dull,
blind,
voices
mute,
all
waiting for the
moving of
the water,

they are
leprous as snow,
twisted with palsy,
foreigners,
angry,
weeping,
unlearned,
hopeless
strangers

not like you,
not like us

in fact,
some of them are
even
sinners...

Master,
Master...

the Pharisees,
the Sadducees,
the scribes and priests

the rabbis,
for goodness sake, 
the rabbis
are gathered
in the
temple

they are all waiting
for you
they want to
ask you questions

finally,
finally...

there, you can teach
there, you can preach
there, right there
in the temple 
you can sit with
the elders and
share your
thoughts

don't let the
masses throng you,
wrinkle your robes,
trample the hem of your garment

don't expose yourself

keep yourself
free of
contagion,
infestation,
complication,
fear,
doubt...

the rabbis know the scripture
they've read the prophecy
of your coming,
they are waiting...

Master,
where are you going?

where am
I going?

why,
toward
them
of
course

my heart
is moving
toward
them

toward
them,

toward
them...



"...and he healed
their sick."


~ ibid.