Worship Service March 9, 2025

A Service of Worship for 9 March 2025 When Jesus walked into the wilderness he carried a man on his back, at least it had the form of a man, a fisherman perhaps with a wet nose, a baker perhaps with flour in his eyes. The man was dead it seems and yet he was unkillable. Jesus carried many men yet there was only one man- if indeed it was a a man. There in the wilderness all the leaves reached out their hands but Jesus went on by. The bees beckoned him to their honey but Jesus went on by. The boar cut out its heart and offered it but Jesus went on by with his heavy burden. The devil approached and slapped him on the jaw and Jesus walked on. The devil built a city of whores, each in little angel beds, and Jesus walked on with his burden. For forty days, for forty nights Jesus put one foot in front of the other and the man he carried if it was a man, became heavier and heavier. He was carrying all the trees of the world which are one tree. He was carrying forty moons which are one moon. He was carrying all the boots of all the men in the world which are one boot. He was carrying our blood. One blood. To pray, Jesus knew, is to be a man carrying a man. -Anne Sexton