Barabbas

Son of man
Son of the Father--
who can
tell one from the other?
Son of man
must taste of death.
Father's son
I would rather
be the one
to return
to Father's side
than to remain
to mourn
man's son's pain.
So he died
while my breath
burned in the rain.

Son of man
dead for me,
crucified,
to set me free.
Son of the Father,
I must be
because my brother
toppled death
upon a tree.

The cross's death
becomes life's door.
Son of man
offers more
abundant life
than those whose scorn
had thought to kill
the coming morn.

Son of man
my life will turn
as to our Father
I return.

(Note: "Barabbas" literally means "son of the father" in Hebrew.)

--Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007), American novelist and poet, from A Cry Like a Bell

Scripture reference: Matthew 27:15-26 (Liturgy of the Word, Palm Sunday A)