May 07th, 2021

My prayer-poem for Friday 7 May 2021


The story was first told by Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger
Archbishop of Paris from 1981 to 2005.
He was the third boy.


The village church invited them;
the doors had open locks
and there they found the holy priest
in the confession box.
Their gimmick was to play a trick
kneeling upon their knees
by making up some heinous sins,
new to his diocese.
The first and second took their turn
to kneel before the priest
and ran out laughing afterwards
when they had been released;
but when the third confessed his sin
and sniggered all the while,
the priest stopped him from speaking
and told him with a smile
to go up to the crucifix
and repeat once and twice
and say three times, “I do not care
about your sacrifice”.
So the third boy went willingly
and twice he stood and spoke
but when it was the third time
his voice faltered and broke.
He ran in tears from that small church
forgiven, loved, he smiled
and gave his life, after that day,
to Him he had reviled.




©️Mark Andrew Smith