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Longinus and the Holy Spear
Longinus, the Centurion was assigned
Together with his men to oversee
The execution, but his being blind
In his right eye, he lacked efficiency.
What pension would he get from stingy Rome?
From day to day his eye-sight grew more dim,
Soon he'd have no option but go home,
Retired, with Rome's pension scarse and slim.
The right eye hurt, and seemed now getting worse,
He had a job to do and do it right:
"Darned Rome. darned Rome" beneath his breath he cursed,
Rome owes its glory to its army's might.
Without the Army Caesar on his throne
Would sit no longer there but lowly squat
To sharpen knives upon a grinding stone
In an obscure and squalid far-off hut.
But duty calls, back to the work at hand,-
Securely rammed into the earth the trees,
His duty was observing and attend,
Complete the task, - grim onus that was his.
"My jerks are gambling now and cast the lot
Behind the tree of the tall center man,
For his fine robe, they'r fighting in the sod,-
Rome should these practices forbid and ban"
It's power, power that does count for Rome,
Power to rule, demand submission and obey,
" Take heed ! take heed ye folks - Rome's soldiers come
To squash rebellions, always underway."
But destiny arranged things differently,
A power unknown issued from the rood,
Did it come from a strange divinity?-
Beyond what Roman soldiers understood.
He, - Gaius Cassius Longinus,
Of rustic Cappadician wholesome roots.
Accustomed to the injury and bruise,
Was not with fops and dandies in cahoots.
In Cappadocia's cave towns there is space
For blind centurions in retirement,
These towns make for a splendid hiding place
For those that with the Roman rules dissent.
He'd overheard the last words of the man,
About to die, and hardly could believe,
This tortured frame, from loss of blood so wan,
Still asked his heavenly father to forgive.
Longinus, battle-hardened Warrior,
Would soon encounter an experience,
A might and power far superior
Than Rome's in all its provinces and lands.
These priests and rabble came from near and far
To watch the execution and its bane,
Some kindly women brought spiced vinegar,
To assuage excruciating pain.
The conversation with the brigand thieves,
Was interesting too to overhear,
They talked of Paradise, but perspectives
Of those about to die are not too clear.
Longinus as commander of the band,
Alone would do the deed conspicuous,
Administer the Coup de Grậce by hand,
And make of sufferering a rapid end.
He'd lift up high the spear to pierce
And stab the side of the expiring one,
It probably would be around the terce,-
Have pity with expiring fellowman.!
.
Unless his eye-sight might get worse.
Or else the rabble taxed too much his wit,
This Coup de Grace he'd give him round the terce,
This agonizing man had merited.
What truly extraordinary man He is,
That prays for his tormentors loud and pleads,
He got to be indeed an Adonis,
And far beyond the doubtful Roman creeds.
"T'is finished" spoke the man upon the tree,
Last and most poignant cry of the condemned,
"My spirit I do recommend to Thee
Oh Father, onto Thee,- into your hand"!
Longinus now would stab at this last cry,-
He stabbed and blood ran down the woodem staff,
The blood did bathe the bad centurion's eye,
The precious blood of Him, the Lord of Love.
But Christ retaliated for the wound
Administered to Him and did reply,
The Ever -Present and the one Beyond
And healed while dying the Centurion's eye.
Longinus shaken to the very core
Had learned at last in depth what "POWER" is,
Was changhed a man henceforth for ever more,
And changed the life, the job and ways of his.
Lo! blood and water ran in little streams,
And trickled down out of the dead man's side,
The radiated and spread healing beams,
Of sanctifying grace, of love and light.
Longinus fell down now upon his knees,
That touched in veneration blood-stained sod,
And uttered overwhelmed: "He truly is
Indeed no other than the Son of God !"
The earth beneath him now began to shake,
The sun no longer gave its warmth and shine,
The rocks and boulders too began to quake,
And spectres wandered through this eerie night.
As witness strong for Christ, Longinus spread
The Gospel of our Lord in many a land,
The Martyr palm and crown he won and had
The Lord sustaining him until his end.
The pilgrim's flock pays tribute to this saint,
They touch the statue and the shild's topaz
Of the Centurion who pierced and rent
Christ's side and pray: " Longinus Saint please pray for us!".
The spear holds many a secret mystery
And princes down the ages vie for it
It's also called the spear of destiny,
By worldly potentates much coveted.
The fate of nations does from it depend
And all of convoluted history,
T'is said that its possessor at the end,
Will have the final lasting victory.
.
