wordsout by godfrey rust
A Christmas Commentary  < 2 of 6 >   < christmas >



What kind of Messiah?

What kind of Messiah does anyone want?
What sort of Saviour will do?
Before we subscribe and get dunked in the font,
what kind of Messiah are you?
What kind of Messiah does anyone need
in our postmodern hullabaloo?
What qualifications will help him succeed?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you stop us from worry and calm us from fear?
Will you free us from debt and fatigue?
Will you send Rishi Sunak* packing next year?
Will you put us on top of the League?
Will you heal our diseases with mystical magic
so we'll live to 102?
Will you make it all better when things turn out
     tragic?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you find me a partner and get me a job?
Will you save me a good place to park?
Will I be superfit even though I'm a slob? 
Will you keep me a berth in the ark?
Will you answer my prayers (but not everyone else's)?
Will you make all my wishes come true?
Will you bless all of Liverpool*'s strikers (not
     Chelsea's!)?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you be kind to Hindus and good athiests?
Will you send all the bad ones to hell?
Will you show Richard Dawkins he doesn't exist?
What is it you're planning, do tell!
Will you stop every war, every flood and tsunami
and remove the excess CO2?
Will you fix all the people who're driving me barmy?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you make sure my mortgage rate doesn't go
     higher?
Stop me drinking too much alcohol?
Can I win EuroMillions and go and retire
to a house on the Costa del Sol?
Will you bless my belief and ignore my behaviour
and vindicate all that I do?
Oh, just be my own private and personal Saviour—
what kind of Messiah are you?


*replace with topical name or sport reference as appropriate.

Written to follow the reading of the messianic prophecy in Isaiah 9, 2-3 and 6-7 as part of A Christmas commentary for the carol service at St Johns Church, West Ealing in 2012, although it is suitable for many occasions.

Typical performance time: 1 minute 30 seconds.

© Godfrey Rust 2012, godfrey@wordsout.co.uk. See here for permissions.