An Olive Press

The Bible's word: Gethsemane
Is a name for the olive press
What does this mean for you and me?
Perhaps to use one would impress...

First, the olives are inspected
For when they've a hard green swell
And then to bags they're collected
And dumped into a giant well

A large cylinder crushing stone
Is rolled as several people push
This task that can't be done alone
Is a process that forms a mush

Then with weary legs and backs
This olive pulp is scooped up
And placed into small burlap sacks
Through which oil drops can erupt

But, none comes out until the press
Which works like a large upside down screw
And as such Christ's pain makes address
As one watches what pressure can do

The force of weight on this mush
Descends as one turns the crank
And small droplets form, yet do not rush...
Then pool and trickle down a bank

What load then crushed our Lord?
To lay heavy upon His skin?
A weight of burden His to afford
To free all man from pain and sin

And as this gift was freely given
It not only frees us from dark death
It ransoms us to God in heaven
If we seek and apply His living breath

And as such forever life He will give
Unto those who receive His good news
Or the weight of our sins, we will relive
From the commandments we ever abuse

As we meet each Sabbath day
As we partake: eat and drink
May we become sure in a clean way
That He within us does deeply sink

What more sacred thing can we do?
Than to receive this selfless gift
May we ever partake and renew
Our covenants that forever lift

Thoughts from reading
A View of Jerusalem
by Erin Sheely Tolman