beloved : Wednesday, Holy Week

John 13:21–35






next to his heart
I was the one to ask,
though my heart beat
quickened with not
wanting to know: who
is it, Lord? which one
of us will turn from you
in betrayal, who is it?
don’t tell me, please,
and perhaps it will
not be. he simply took
some bread, dipped
the bread, and gave
the bread to Judas.
do it quickly, Judas.
though no one else had any clue
what it was he was about
to do. he took the bread,
but left it there, uneaten,
got up and left in
silence.

next to his heart,
I fell apart inside:
something had shattered,
noiselessly between us all.
I will go soon, too, and you
will look – but can not
follow – not there, but here
you must follow these words,
please, hear them now
again. Love one another –
I love you, and you, too,
will be known by love –
look at me – please love
each other as I do.
and he looked at the door
which was left ajar,
and we kept silence
for a long while
after