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Damascus Road
Up to Damascus cavalry horses trod,
Spurred forward by a man impatiently,
Along the wide and much used Roman Road,-
A rider led the group - Saul Pharisee.
Fanatic zeal shone on his lofty brow,
He cracked the sheep gut whip resoundingly,
And felt his retinue moved far too slow,
His task required speed and urgency
The passionate determined scholar sat
Hard in the saddle of his fiery steed,
Once in Damascus he would castigate
The Jews that had adopted a false creed.
He had a mission to pursue, a goal,
To give a lesson to the renegades,
To keep in check and under his control,
Those fallen from the Law,- the apostates.
Hot passion shone in Saul's fine deep set eyes,
With anger filled now and with zealotry,
He,- student of Gamaliel the wise,
New well the Law and its theology.
He had watched Stephen stoned for blasphemy,
And gratified, had taken in the scene,
And now he would use clout and energy,
To chastise them with whip and javelin.
Immersed in thoughts he noticed suddenly
A light refulgent coming down to him.
An apparition stopped Saul Pharisee,
And blocked the train of his escorting team.
Dazed horses, disconcerted, balked in fright,
And sensed the extraordinary round about,
They flinched, and reared, with vehemence and neighed,
And blocked some caravans along the route
Saul head a stern but gentle voice ring out:
“Why do you persecute me and make bold
To persecute with whip, the sword and knout
The "People of The Way,- my cherished fold”?
The apparition’s light and voice’s sound,
Did overpower Saulus’ soul and mind,
And he fell off the steed and hit the ground,
Disoriented, dazed and stricken blind.
The radiance and luminosity
Of the appearance kept Saul low prostrate,
Until they helped him up upon his knee,
And shaken led him to Damascus Gate.
T’was the experience, - the dazzling light
That set the scholar’s mind and soul aflame,
Who gloried henceforth in the crucified,
Whom with great passion he would now proclaim.
Lo! selfsufficient zealous Saulus turned,-
A living fire brand and torch turned he,
A cresset flambeau high that flared and burnt
For ever more with great intensity.
Divine a hand that suddently did thwart,
Not by revenge, but by a gentle word,
HE'd turned the other cheek, and struck Saul
's heart,
Who recognized at last the Christ hie Lord.
Mobility and sight at last restored
When consecrated waters washed his soul,
Paul now adored with passion a new Lord,
The Christ, and changed his name from Saul to Paul.
A brief retreat, then with no more delay,
He preached with passion, ardor and great zeal,
And preached to all the "People of the Way*
Aflamed to toil for Jews and for Gentiles,
But yet - Paul’s ardent personality
Remained what he had been, - a man with zeal,
Changed and transformed,- he now toiled passionately,
The new found master’s wishes to fulfill.
High motivation’s creativity,
Deep passion driving on his generous soul
To preach in prayer houses instantly,
Settling for naught, but to achieve his goal.
But what a goal? - what spurred Paul Pharisee,
Who persecuted, hated and despised,
The flock of Christ with such ferocity?-
But the great power of the Risen Christ!
Internal strives, intense and sometimes grim,
Misunderstandings, bias, narrowness,
Made bitter oft his ministry for him,
Defamed, and scourged, but he preached nonetheless,
Endurance, travel, trials unheard of,
In chains, imprisoned, shipwrecked, flogged and banned,
He served his Master with a boundless love,
Till martyrdom would crown him at his end
His writing’ treasure cove and treasure trove,
He left as legacy for us behind,
Revealing passion both and tender love
To feed his children’s spirit, soul and mind..
Apostle fighter of pre-eminence,-
Devoured and consumed by passion's flame,
He ran and won the prixe par excellence,
Christ's ardent Gladiator is his name.
Oh zeal! oh passion ! - through which Paul did find,
The destined ways to serve his Lord and God,
But first the great Apostle was struck blind,
While riding hard along Damascus Road.
Acts 9/3-17 and
9.1 22.6-16
Elizabeth Dandy
*The first Christians were called “The People of The Way”
