What Cross Will We Hang From?

There are three ways
we collectively die:
global environmental collapse,
artificial intelligence takes control,
or an international nuclear war.
We are precipitously close
to all three.
Pilate asked for truth;
this is truth in our times.

Who is pounding in the nails?
Who are the criminals
to the right and left of the cross?
Who are the sorrowing spectators?
How does the resurrection
of Easter morning
in this case work?
Who is left to talk about it?

Maybe the story
of the cross for our age
is to listen to the resurrected one:
realize the kingdom of heaven on earth
as he did, here and now– urgently–
by being wise and moderate,
standing for merciful justice,
rebuking greed and sharing abundance,
going about healing, mending,
feeding, caring for, and inspiring,
stewarding our natural resources,
and loving our neighbors as ourselves?
Sounds revolutionary, doesn’t it,
but we are promised that
the meek will inherit the earth;
so hopefully that can refer to us
and not just the rodents?

Jesus aligned
with God’s consciousness
and was raised from the dead
to show us we could live forever.
Now, please, can God raise
our collective consciousnesses
to show us how to
unite with the divine
and save this beautiful world,
to live together in peace,
love, and security on earth,
avoiding the impending
final crucifixion
of annihilating
mass destruction?

Polly Castor
March 30, 2026