That the Lord of the universe

should make Himself small,

a microscopic speck

on a planet

obscured in light years

of galaxies,

is a wonder.

That the Holy One,

ablaze with purity,

should walk

straight into the ugliness

of this world

and eat with sinners

is another.

But there is a greater wonder—

that the Christ who purged the Temple

went down among the snakes

to smash through eulogies of stone

and dig out rotting flesh

to rescue me

a Pharisee.